Gospel's Epilouge
by SilverZeo
Summary: A look at Kid Gospel, Sean Shun Obihiro's, life before the NetMafia's formation and also the aftermath with his face to face encounter with Lan. Contains abit of Kingdom Hearts logic and action. Contains spoilers
1. Aftermath

Fur Chronicles Preludes: Restart

**KKKEEERRRR-CRASH!**

That was the noise that echoed through out cyberspace as the glowing green SuperNavi with light blue static decals on his suit/body and helmet delivered the final blow to the MultiBug Organism, an uncontrollable beast formatted from glitches in a failed attempt to create the strongest navi of all time….

The conquering Navi's brilliant suit dimmed done to a cobalt shade with plain white decals. The navi took a deep breath and looked up to cyberspace with his green eyes, opening a Vid-Window in front of him, displaying his operator, a young lad with spikey brown hair that was being held up by a blue head band. The boy was unconscious and this worried the Navi, fearing that the radiation has done him in.

"LAN!" shouted the blue humanoid from of cyber data, "LAN! Please Wake up! Mom's making her famous curry! Dex wants a match with the Net Battler that just took down Gospel! Yai is taking all of her friends to Yumland! Chaud is acting tough and snobby again! Dad's home! Mayl loves you!"

The boy began to wake from his harsh spell. His brown eyes slowly opened up, adjusting to their blurry surroundings. His groggy groans relieved the Blue Navy of his worst case scenario.

"LAN! Can you hear me?

"Meg…man, is that you?"

"You're okay!"

Lan got off the floor and onto his feet. He took a look at his PET, the electronic device that allows him to make contact with Megaman. "What were you saying about Mayl and me?"

"Oh… nothing, just something to get you up and at-them."

"Did we… do it? Did we took that _thing_ out?

"You bet we did! Gospel's history! Look! The servers have

Completely stopped!" said Megaman with wide smile to ear-ear. The numerous computer servers that were in the room had ceased to function, causing the electromagnetic radiation that spew from them to stopped. "I think the effect of the Hub.Bat and the radiation had triggered anew style change in me, and it wasn't Guts, Custom, Team, Shield, or any element we encountered before."

"Wow!" Lan gasped in amazement, "I can remember it too. It was like we were one."

"Yes. And oddly enough… today is also the anniversary of my last day as Hub, the day that I left you in the real world."

"Ya that's right, with all of that happened today, I totally forgot. Megaman, for the sake of today, let's call your new style… Hub-Style!"

"Sounds good to me, Lan."

"Hey! What about Gospel's leader?"

Lan turn his head at the end the of room, where the head of the Net-Mafia Gospel, a young boy in a blue sweat shirt and black pants, lied unconscious between a computer desk and a wall-mounted TV screen. Lan stepped closer and noticed that the boy's brown had dulled in a gray shade. You can clearly see that the boy was having a bad dream by the painful expressions on his face and how his head continues to shift back and forth.

"Hey! Are you okay? Hello? Can you hear me?" Lan's word went unheard, "He doesn't look good." Lan pointed his PET to the kid so Megaman can get a look at him.

"Well, he was in the electromagnetic field the longest...huh" Megaman noticed something that the must had boy knocked off his desk when he fainted. "There's something next to him… a book?"

"I'll check it out."

Lan plopped down on the floor and opened the book to where a piece of newspaper stuck outside the pages. Lan pointed his PET so Megaman had a look at it.

"This is the news article about that plane crash fiver years ago!"

"That's right! There was a bug in the plane's computer… it was considered the biggest netcrime ever.

"So what does it have to do with him?"

"Should I really read it? It is a personal dairy."

"Lan… this kid did said that his reason to rule world because he picked on and he hated it. Maybe we can learn more about him."

"Okay, Mega. But if the he gets upset about, it's your fault."

"Willing and able, Lan."

And indeed they did learned a lot about the boy. That his parents dead in that crash and how afterwards he was force with a cruel relative. His inheritance brought him will joy and he grew to distrust anyone but himself. But most of all… Lan and Megaman learned how lonely the boy was.

"Gee, why do I feel so bad now, Lan?" Megaman asked.

"I feel the same way."

"These machines were the only things that didn't betrayed him."

"Yea, using them to play as grown-up and make Net friends, people who were like him, having a great anger to all the unfairness that they faced."

"Bringing them together to form the NetMafia: Gospel!"

"All of this just to get back to the real world that forsaken him."

The child then groaned as he regained consciences, his ruby eyes slowly opening

"Oh!" shouted Lan with joy, "You're alive!"

"Huh?" the boy tilted his head to his right to see Lan standing over him with a smile on his face. Filled with panic, the Boy sprawled back to the end of room. His eyes were welling up from the frustration he was feeling.

"I'm finished! Do what you want with me! There is no reason for me to live! Not anymore!"

"C'mon. Everyone has a reason to live."

"Not me! Everyone in this world hates me! I want to die!"

"No Way! But… you'll have to be punished for your crimes…

"See, everyone hates me!"

"But…"

"'But' what?"

"Once you atoned for what you did… I promise to be your first friend, I'll never hold anything against you, and I'll never turn my back against you"

Lan then knelt down and offered an open hand to the boy. The boy just stared at it with his glassy eyes. After a short paused, the boy's expression was then broken by a wave of tears; he leapt on to Lan and gave him a hug. Lan was taken totally by surprise, but he hugged the kid back. Then there was trouble.

"Lan!" Megaman shouted, reading the kid's health position with the PET's sensor, "He took too much radiation! He's body systems are failing!"

"What?" Lan shook the kid up to wake him up, "Hey! Come on! We have to get you out of here."

"Mmmmrrrrrrrrr-sorry-mmrrrr," the child groaned, barely loud enough to be under his breath.

"Hang in there!"

And the world slowly faded for the boy. He could no longer feel anything with his body; his ears deafened Lan's words. Then his eyes were getting so heavy, he just closed them and slipped into darkness.

000

"…I promise to be your first friend."

The young child Sean Obihiro then began to stir from his slumber to find himself in a dark room. The last thing he remembered was talking to that stranger NetNavi, promising him to grant him the power to make the world less evil, then falling asleep, and finally awaking in this dark room.

The computer prodigy examined his surroundings. The entire room was a perfect square of grey metal. A door ajar allowed a shine of light in this room. As Sean looked at the metal wall, which now showed his reflection because of the light. He noticed something different. He was now taller than any normal 5-year old. His glossy brown hair was now a dull grey, and his emerald eyes turned into a ruby shade. This greatly disturbed Sean.

"What's wrong with me? Why do I look older?"

A sharp pain jolted in Sean's mind as a rush of memories flooded in his head.

"The radiation, it caused a change in my body's pigment. But, why was I doing it? And how did I get here."

Sean turned his attention to the opened door, knowing that his answers won't be answered in this simple, yet bizarre, room. Before he left, he noticed a key of simple design in the lock of the outside side of the door. Sean putted it his pocket, as good luck.

He entered a corridor that was at least a thousand times more complex in design than the room that Sean just came out of. The walls were made of smooth-out onyx with navy blue lights that glowed lowly The corridor lead to five doors, with the largest, and highly possible the main door, was across where Sean stood.

"So, you awoke." Said a voice them seems to came all the way around Sean.

"W-Who are you?"

"Did really forgotten me, my brother? It only has been five years. Well, I grant you back you're partial control of Obihiro; IF you can last out in the trials."

"WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?" shouted Sean, "I AM OBIRHIRO!"

"Hemp, how right you are. Now, just choice one of the trials, and lets see how 'good' you are when you are in the real world."

"What do you mean?"

"Just try to exist when you are face with the realities of this dark realm."

The two smaller doors then opened. Sean had no idea what kind of game his in, but he does know the rules: Face the two trails and get your answer from the main behind the main door.


	2. Step into Darkness

Chapter 1.

Lan hauled the unconscious boy over his should and proceeded out of the elevator as soon as it's doors opened to ground-floor. The boy's sneakers scrape against the tile floor and then against the rough sidewalk when the two managed to get outside. Lan looked up at the building that they just left, large portions of it was missing, a little side effect of the boy's experiment with the radiation.

A young, but a somewhat manly, voice then shouted out, "LAN! Over here!" And the young NetBattler turn his attention to the sight of closest friends. A blue eye boy with a cap of white hair on his brunette hair walked up to the Lan, looking at the unconscious child with a cold stare and ask in a demanding tone,

"Lan, what's HE doing here?"

"Chaud, I know he's the head of Gospel and did some really awful stuff, but that's not enough for him to die." A short girl, fashioning her hair with dual long ponytails, wearing a fancy red dress walked up to also walked up to Lan and was soon followed by a red head girl of Lan's height wearing a blue jacket with teal sleeves and pink skirt, and taking of the rear of the group was a husky boy with a single curl of brown hair on his head in a green shirt and blue shorts. The red-head took a look at the grey-haired boy, examining his state.

"He seemed kinda nerve wrecked when we're saw him."

"'Nerve Wrecked,' Mayl?" ask the husky boy, "He was going ballistic!"

"DEX!" exclaimed the short girl, "It's absolute rude talk about people behind their backs!"

"Whacha mean, Yai? He's right here!"

"He's out cold and that counts."

Lan then shouted, "Will you guys cut it out, this kid needs medial attention!"

Reluctantly, Chaud help Lan carry the child to the nearby Metro-line to get the hospital.

000

Sean looked at the two doors on either side of the big one and choose the one on the left. The room inside was nothing more than a cubic room with grey walls. As soon as Sean walked in the room, the door slammed shut behind him. And then the Voice returned.

"So, you chosen to relive your past, huh? Good, this will shatter your entire existence." Sean just stood there, showing no fear as the voice continued on. "Let's start at the beginning: Where we started our 'disagreement.'

"What are you talking about? I don't even know who you are!"

"Have faith in me, Sean. It will make sense in time."

Sean said nothing in return.

The grey walls began to despair, like dust in the wind, and began to show an inside of a fancy house. It was morning. Seeing this place made Sean almost forget his odd predicament. And awed with wonder, Sean just thought out loud.

"This is… my home."

Sean walked through-out the huge mansion, reminiscing the simple joys he had here. For some reason, Sean remembers leaving here a long time ago, but not why.

He then came across his living room and to his surprise, his two uncles, the Net Researcher Doctor Regal and the military Colonel Baryl, were sitting on the couch, with glum faces, puzzling the boy.

"Uncle Regal? Uncle Baryl?"

The sound of weeping was heard. Sean came closer, to see what it was and why his didn't responded him.

Sean saw a small boy, with a fold of tear seeping through his eyes and he was softly whimpered uncontrollable. Sean recognized this sad child, for it was his younger self, back when his hair was a brilliant shade of chestnut and his eyes were greener than any grass.

The young boy managed barely managed to open his eyes, despite the stung from the unceasing flow of the tears. And then in finally spoke, in a tone and whimper that broken hearts can give, "When is… the funeral?" After saying this, the boy again shut his eyes and cried again.

Uncle Boom, who spoke in a stern but merciful tone, "It will be next weekend. At sea, in respect for all those who died.

Young Sean managed to muster enough will power to speak auditable from his sniffs, "And…me?"

Uncle Teisel spoke, "You have been will to one of us."

This made the present Sean began to weep. Water filled up in a corner of his and sidled down the sides of his checks. Sean touched them to see if they were real. He didn't really know why he was crying, but he knew it was something bad. He saw Uncle Boom got to get younger Sean some water, not noticing the older Sean as he past by. Sean turned his attention to his younger and his uncle, patting his back to comfort him. After having some water, little Sean's tears soothe down. The young child got off the couch and walled up to the portrait of himself, his father, and his mother. Sean had his father's emerald eyes and the brown shade in his hair while Sean partly inherited his hair style, a smooth boat-like-ark haircut where the necks meets the head. Sean was always jealousy on how his hair was flat while his fathers had a spiky loft that made him look unique. Sean wipe of what was left of his tears from his eyes. And spoke to the adult figures in the painting, "Mom… Dad… I hope you're enjoying heaven, because the two of you always told me you're work trips aren't so great when I'm not around."

The memory flooded back to the older Sean, causing him to fall to his knees and the sting of his tears increased, "Now I remember, Mom… Dad… they're dead."

As soon as Sean blinked his eyes, he found himself in new surrounding. He was on a ship's deck. A large one to be in fact, enough to have the families and friends of the victims of the plane crash that took Sean's parents. The older found his younger at the very front of the ship, wearing black and hold of mix bouquet of violets to represent his Mother and Blue Flowers to represent his father. Sean's uncles couldn't make it, being a colonel and a researcher was busy work. To the right of Sean, people bore purple flowers for his mother while to his left people bore blue for his father. Standing next Sean was a man and his son, who was a year older than Sean, also held a mix bouquet as himself. The sun overhead was blocked out by many dark clouds, looking like they're ready to pour.

"…and now we cast these flowers to sea," said the priest, "To serve as memorials for the late Voltnut Trigger Obihiro and Tron Wily Obihiro. May the two rest in peace."

Everyone then cast the flowers off the bow and they landed next the numerous others that represented other passengers. After everyone had given their flowers to the departed, they enjoyed the inside of the yacht for the Luncheon. All expect for Sean who snuck out when the crowd went in.

In the dark game room, the older Sean just felt sorrow as he saw his younger just staring out a port-window, where the dull light barely lighten the room. Both old and young Sean couldn't get over of their parents passing. Young Sean look out the sun, nearly covered by black clouds, as the rain lightly bombarded the glass in peace when.

"You know, you'll loose your color of skin down here." Sean turned his head to find the same boy he saw above deck. The boy had a lighter shade of brown hair than Sean, which was held up by a blue bandana, and had brown eyes. He wore a white long sleeve shirt that covered up by a zipped up orange vest. The boy also wore a pair of black shorts with a yellow stripe on the side. A small pouch was fasten to the side of his shorts to hold the boy's PET.

"In case you didn't notice, the depressing IS upstairs."

"I just… wanted to be alone for second, that's all."

"Well… let's just enjoy the party, or at least whatever little there is to be had." And the two boys then went off to join the luncheon

Old Sean recognized the boy, but not sure where and who, but he felt like he know him.

Young Sean saw the boy's father talking to another man.

"… and because of her weird obsession with 'Lego's, Miss Tron created the Dataroids, the green robotic Navis who functions are to run computer systems and so on."

"Yes, I believe I heard that same story in NET Magazine one time. That's way I wanted her to be on my NetNavi research team and that's how she meet Volt and in less in a year, the two got married and had a child."

The man saw the boys coming their way, "Speaking of which, here is he comes. I'll leave you be, Dr. Hikari" and the man walked off.

The doctor turned around to see the two. "I see you found him, Lan. Good work." The boy just took the praise from his father very well. Dr. Hikari knelt down to Sean to Sean's level and place a hand on his shoulder, "Sean, I knew you're parents well. I know my not understand now, but no matter what you do, you're parents will always be proud of you. Even if you make mistakes, they'll only make you stronger."

Dr. Hikari was the only person who really talked to Sean during the luncheon; some didn't notice him while others just didn't brother.

After the yacht reached port. Sean saw Uncle Regal waiting for him.

"Ready to go to your new home?"

"…yes."

And older Sean watch his younger self walked away with his uncle and then everything around him faded into darkness.

(A/N: In the BN 6, I heard the rumor that Baryl was raised by Dr. Wily and does anyone else noticed the name complex in the Megaman BN/NtW world? Like how Dr. Regal is Dr. Wily son and Miss Yuri is Miss Mari's sister?)


	3. A Step into Light

Warning: This the chapter where it gets Kingdom Hearts like (Universes Together!) and guess who is the mystery characters in this chapter.

Chapter 2

Lan and his friends drag Sean (Lan brought the dairy and Mayl read the nametag in it) out of the Metroline station and into Beach Street, where the local hospital was. Chaud, being an Official Netbattler, informed the authorities of what Lan told him during the trip on the train.

The group entered the hospital to find that the Police Inspector Oda, who happens to be Chaud's and Lan's supervisor. Waiting for them at the front desk. The old man rushed towards him and took a look at Sean.

"Is this the kid?" he asked gruffly.

"Yes he is Mr. Oda, Sir." Sated Chaud.

The inspector turned to front desk and shouted, "WHEELCHAIR! STAT! WE HAVE AN EMERGENCY PATIENT!" and nearby nurse came, put Sean in the wheelchair and took him off to elevator.

"I already explained to doctors of what Chaud told me. This place will try their best to get the kid back to perfect health. I just hope he has faith in them and doesn't make a deal he can't refuse with the devil." Everyone, including nearby nurses, were confused by that last comment. The inspector then just give a hearty chuckle, "It's a 'MAFIA' joke! GET IT?"

"NOT FUNNY!" shouted everyone who heard that lame joke, giving the Inspector a dirty look, startling the old man.

Sean had enough strength to stir awake, noticing that he is in an operating room right before the doctors gave him some sleeping gas.

000

Sean found himself another mansion, much like his old home, only it was, in a word, darker. He stood in a hallway, seeing his younger, now a couple years of older, running from one end of the hallway to the other, holding a piece of paper. The young Sean then barge into the office room of his Uncle Regal, who then quickly shut off a computer he was working on. He turned to the boy, his face in a stern mood.

"What have I said about entering the room unannounced?"

"I know, Uncle. But I have discovering something interesting about the Cyber world." Young Sean took pleasure as he saw his Uncle giving him his full attention, "I was watching the video-feed from the plane crash and I believe that in the cyber world, emotions become power to NetNavis!"

"Interesting theory. But NetNavi are just programs, they don't have emotions."

"True, but in my theory, if they do, it gives them great abilities in the net."

"And just how can this happen, pray tell."

"Okay, since NetNavis today are of simple function and commend, that ability is limited. But special Customized Navis, like the ones that Dr. Hikari is making, who have the ability to have confidence in their abilities, plus the will to use them in full force, they can tap into an unknown power source."

"So, if a NetNavi has the proper personality and will, he can achieve power beyond normal standards."

"Theoretical: Yes."

"Interesting concept, but only fantasy, Sean. Science is about facts and just facts. Imagination is worthless in the field. We build on what we have in concrete, not what is transparent."

"But-"

"What I say is fact, Sean. A fact is undeniable and final always. You must brace this, and forget all of your imagination; they provide nothing for you except delusions."

Young Sean then gave a heart empty sigh, "Yes, Uncle." And the boy then walked out of the office, his head hanging in shame.

After watching his younger sink away, old Sean turned to Uncle and said, not caring if he was heard or not, "Some times Uncle, imagination give us hope for the future, inspire us to achieve what's beyond our reach. And some facts, my dear Uncle Regal, have been proven drastically wrong." Sean then turned his back to cold hearted uncle and follow suit of his younger. Following whatever memories that resurfaced as he journeyed across the mansion, he found his old room.

A room devoid of anything common in most children rooms. The room was a dull shade of grey and filled with just black and white furniture and cloth, with the expectations of the blue laptop that Sean inherited from his father and Sean's wardrobe. The old found his younger laying in bed, looking up to the smooth, grey ceiling, looking as though everything he believed in turned out to be a lie.

The time jump forward to morning. Young Sean was awake, staring up at the ceiling for several minutes before getting out of bed and walk over to his large window, watching the morning sun shine through the clouds and cause the downtown buildings to cast long across the town. Another beautiful day in Netopia.

"Happy birthday, Sean." The young boy said to himself.

Like all his birthdays since the tragic day, Sean had spent his birthdays by himself. And to further the thought of his day as jinx to him, Sean hardly gets any presents, cards, or even a phone call on his last 3 birthdays.

The sound of Sean's footsteps filled the almost empty house. Uncle Regal was away on business, leaving the young boy alone with nothing to do. Though it was a schooldays, Sean was home-schooled after he got sick of normal school, where his intellect caused conflict with among his peers and teachers. He even made several corrections when Regal was teaching him. The young lad sat down by the front door, waiting eagerly for his uncle to come through the door. Old Sean's memories began to resurface as he watched this. He remember how everyone in schooled ignored him entirely after he showed them up in school work, he also remembered how they jump on him whenever he made a mistake and hold it against him.

There was one odd thing that Sean couldn't quite understand. Throughout all of his hardships, the thoughts of his parents hardly came up, same goes for enjoyment. It was like young Sean lost his ability to be happy, only feel emotional pain and become reclusive with people, especially for his Uncle Regal for some strange reason. Deep down, this disturbed Sean.

"I was never like this," he said to himself, "I was never this… empty hearted." Sean then placed his hand over his heart, feeling the pain he felt a long time ago.

The room around him then warped around him into an even darker setting then his Uncle mansion. Sean found himself in a boarded up apartment building, the windows leaked a little sunlight. Sean saw his younger, now an only a few months younger and with a tow-bag on his arm, being basked in a light blue glow from his inherited laptop. Sean's facial expression could only describe as 'cold-hearted CEO.'

"Okay, I did what you said: I ran away from home, withdraw all of inheritance from the bank, and ended up in this condemn building. Laserman?"

A dark prism-theme Navi with a giant 'U' meet Sean from his eyes to his yellow visor one, "Remember… only you can lead this world into peace, Sean Shun Obihiro. If you fail the world will be torn."

And like a zombie, the young boy responded without a tone of emotion, "Yes, I must devote myself to ensure the planet's survival. I must do this, it's my destiny.

Old Sean was dumbfounded, he knew his younger should Know-better. But still, this was the very same NetNavi he met before blacking-out and awoke in the steel room.

Laserman then displayed a picture of Sean's parents, "Do you know these people, Obihiro?"

"No… I never meted them before in my life."

This scared the older Sean so much that it sent a chill down his spine and caused goosebumps to form on every inch of his skin.

"Do you know the gospel truth for the world?"

"Yes… all evil shall be vanished… and none shall have the chance to commit again

Laserman then said, "Now you're ready to make your ascension. BEHOLD THE STRENGTH FORM THE DARK POWER!"

A dark purple light emitted from the laptop hit Sean right in his face; while at the same time, Older Sean's entire surrounding began to be replaced by a giant black and purple flame. Sean felt the floor beneath him vanish and he found himself floating alone in the fire. But then, a tall figure appeared.

He was tall and his skin gave off this pale glow. He had a long neon-green hair that covered one of his black and red eyes, while the back of him was entire draped with long locks that fade to purple and become crooked at the end. He wore a black gown with a red spike outlines and a vicious looking 'G' was detailed on the chest. And then spoke in the voice haunted Sean since his awaking,

"Greetings, other."

"Who are you?" demand Sean as he glared at the origin of the voice that bothered him so.

"Why Light, you forgot? After all of eternity of clashing within Sean and your forgotten your dear brother, Dark?"

"I AM SEAN!"

"Do you believe this to be true? We're Sean's Light and Darkness. We both harbor Sean's memories. The last one you just witness was Sean's rejection of you! The rejection of his light"

Sean retained his angry-face even though he was more confuse, "What do you mean?"

"You, Light, retain the appearance of Sean's mortal body because he has no longer use for you; while as I am his true form, his wants, his dreams, and his thoughts."

Sean then broke out his anger; it was now replaced by despair. "Is…is this true."

"Yes. Carry that thought as you are consuming by my presence." And with that, the figure dissipated in a black mist.

Black fire ball then appeared around Sean and began to close in on him. Sean tried to bat them away from him, but they keep on coming back closer and closer. Though Sean was confused, he was not ready to succumb by anything dark yet.

After much effort, the dark flames began to smother Sean. As the boy began to lose conscious but he managed to shout,

"HELP! PLEASE! SOMEONE HELP ME! Please, please, plea---"

As became unconscious, a beam of light shined from Sean's pocket, causing an orb with two multicolored rings to appear. The orb then morphed into a color-shifting human-link human. The being then pointed his right arm to the flames that now engulfed Sean. The man's hand slid into the thick wristband that man wore and was replaced by a cannon's barrel.

And in a commanding tone, the man said, "X-BUSTER!" And a blast of energy fired out of the barrel and made contact with the flames, causing them to disperse and free the captive boy. As the being floated closer to the boy, he noticed that he was holding a key-like blade in his hand. A light-green hexagon encircled the red handle and at the end of the handle, there was a keychain with Lan and Megaman's emblem. A long cobalt staff with a three point blade, colored black, red, and yellow.

The being made a smirk at he sight, "So my Universal Brother Lan gave you the 'Beyond Link,' Sean. A weapon that symbolizes that you're friendship is always linked beyond what you do or where you are. Its strength will grow as you share links with others with hearts similar to yours, Obihiro." The being then carried Sean in his arms; and in a flash, the two were back into the three door lobby. The being softly put Sean down onto the floor.

"Be strong, Son Voltnutt and Tron. And remember, hearts are linked despite what you do and where you are. And don't believe what the Dark One says, now that his mission has failed, his main objective is to destroy you." And with that, he vanished in a flash.

As soon as the being was gone, Sean instantly awoke. He was surprise to be in the lobby again and that he was holding the odd weapon.


	4. Fight of Doubt

Fight of Doubt.

In the late evening, hours after the operation was done, the group all Lan and his crew all stood around the boy's bedside. None knew what to say, but felt to stay there for the for goodness' sake. Mayl broke the silence.

"He doesn't seem evil now. He looks like his in pain."

Chaud nodded, "His having a nightmare, the lids of his eyes are twitching at a rapid tempo, meaning his dreaming something with a lot of action."

Dex then added his two cents, "Most kids do some bad stuff because they have a bad life. I should know, I've acted like jerk since my parents got divorced and me and my baby brother had to spilt. But now I-" Lan was surprise.

"I didn't know you had a baby brother, Dex?"

"What do mean 'had!' I still get to talk to him over the net!"

The door to the room then open and man in labcoat, which covered an orange shirt with Lan's symbol on the pocket. The man spotted the young the Netbattler and ran up to him

"LAN! I came as soon as I heard! Are you alright? What about Megaman?"

"We're fine, Dad. We both of us came out in one piece."

"What do you mean 'Both of Us?' If your gonna hog all the credit when we help you, then don't expect it again, Lan!"

"I'm just meant our health, Yai."

Lan's dad then took noticed of Sean. "So… the head of Gospel was this child? He looks familiar."

"His name is Sean Obihiro. I know because I've read his journal."

"LAN! I'm surprise at you, you shouldn't read through- did you say 'Sean Obihiro?'"

"Yea,"

Lan's father took a good look at Sean and muttered under his breath, "It can't be him… Lan, what else did the journal say?"

Lan was taken back by his father's change of heart of the journal, "Well… his parents died in that plane crash a few years back."

"Lan, this boy who meet at the funeral of the victims of the crash."

"W-what? But this kid is totally different! He has grey hair and red eyes while-"

"DING-DONG-DING!" rang on the hospital's intercom, "Visitors hours are now over."

"Well," sighed Mr. Hikari, "I'll explain it in the morning at Sci-Lab. Today has been TOO long for anyone."

Lan nodded in agreement, "Your right, Dad. I'm really bushed. I wonder what Mom is making?"

And so, the visitors left the room. Lan was the last, taking one last look at the former head of Gospel before leaving the room. And as soon the burnet walker out, He saw Inspector Oda enter a nearby patient room. He stopped to wonder what was the officer was up to until his friends called from the elevator.

Inspector Oda slowly close the door behind him, taking a quick surveillance of the hallway from the crack in the door before its lock slowly click into the border. He then respectful put his hat off and placed it over his heart.

"Mamoru?" he spoke.

In the hospital, a young boy with messy dull brown hair awoke from his bed, "Inspector Oda? What brings you here?"

"It turns out that head of Gospel is really a kid. He took a lot of radiation from his little experiment in Kotobuki, so he needed medical attention; that's when the doctors found _IT_."

"It?"

"According to cat-scans, the boy has been exposed to more than electromagnetic radiation. He was under the influence of Dark Chip Energy."

"Dark Chips?"

"Their new to the streets, only a handful of cases have been reported in. the Dark Chips have the ability to provoke the wrath in Navis, making them loose common sense and more 'edgy' in battle. And that fits the kid's story to the letter. From his background this Sean Obihiro has vanished, shortly before his caretaker, one Dr. Regal, left and moved out of Netopia."

"What does this has to with the Undernet?"

"Just assignment for the strongest Navi there."

"And what do you want Serenade to do?"

"In an attempt to under the energy wavelength, we found a coded message, which said of Gospel's plans fails, a command would be sent out to stop all bodily functions in an instant. Another thing is: according to our research, the kid should be six-feet under by now."

"How is he still alive?"

"That why Serenade is needed. We need a specialist who can 'tap' into the forces of hearts and so on."

"I understand." Mamoru then pulled out a solid gold PET, switched off, from under his bed mattress and handed to the old Net Officer.

"Thank you," the Inspector said as he put his hat back on and headed back at the door, "Oh, I hope you get well, too."

Marmoru half-heartily sighed "Hope is all I can do." He then laid his head down and returned to sleep.

000

Sean sat on the floor in the hallway, pondering out loud at what just happen to him.

"I don't really know what's going on but one thing is for sure: that guy wants to take me out. That 'trail' was nothing more than a trap, but one thing still bothers me: If the door I just came out of was my memories, then what's the other door?"

And, on cue, the second door slid open. Sean sat there and said out flatly, "That was creepy."

And like one another cue, a belly-dancer gypsy-theme being, in a holy aura, appeared beside Sean, who then said flatly again, "And that was unexpected."

The young boy awed at the pink veils that hovered behind the back of the gypsy. She her upper body was encased in a black leotard with golden gauntlets, golden shoulder pads, and a golden helmet. She wore a pair of snow-white pants. Her dark eyes darted around, trying to find her bearings. They stopped when see lay sight on Sean.

"Hello, little one, is this your heart?"

"Umm… I don't believe so."

The gypsy then began to walk around and taking a closer look at the surroundings.

"Hmmm… unusually barriers, even for ones who are in self-denial or blocking memories. Perhaps what Inspector Oda said is true about the boy, he may be under influence."

Sean couldn't help but overhear, "I'm may be WHAT?"

"I am examining your mental state for cases of mind control via jacking into your life-support system."

"You WHAT!"

"Complex: Yes. But with modern protocols for hospital patient security, it is mandatory procedures to have all patients' mind, heart, and bodily statistics just encase of emergency-"

The gypsy turned to speak to Sean face-to-face when she noticed the weapon his hand. She immediately rushed to the boys and pulled the blade closer to her eyes to inspect it.

"Amazing! A Keyblade! It's form is unique and I can feel a great power in it!"

"Care to fill me in, Miss…"

"Oh, my apologies. I was overtaken for the moment. I'm Serenade. Please, tell how you obtain this weapon."

"Ummm," went Sean as he pondered for a good group of words, "It was in my hand when I woke up."

"Anything beforehand?"

Sean thought and answered "Not really."

"… anything before you found yourself in this place."

"I remember… a apartment building? A kid older than me? A net-battle? A roar? I've been shown visions of my child, from a part where both my parents died, but I think they were illusions. The last REAL thing I remember is someone saying 'I promise to be your friend.' And then I woke in this crazy place."

"A 'room?'"

"I'll show what I mean."

And as the two walked where Sean was once held captive, the young boy told Serenade of what was occurred to him so far. When the two reached to the chosen area, Sean was surprise to find a dead end.

"What!" he shouted as he race to fell the wall to see if it was real, "It was right here! It was dark, cold, and-"

"Your imprisonment."

"Huh?"

"From what you have told me, Sean Obihiro, at some point in journey of life, you've indeed accepted forces of darkness, which sealed you in that door."

"So… does that mean what that guy said was true? That I'm…. only half of myself?"

"Maybe. Maybe not. The case is: Whatever you are; with you gone, that dark figure managed to take over Sean Obihiro and used his body to help form the NetMafia 'Gospel.'"

"What are you talking about?"

"It's a long story, so please sit."

Sean did was asked and he listen intensely to Serenade as she told the story of Gospel, a criminal organization whose members were made of confused individuals who lost hope in the world. Sean was taken back by stories of how a peaceful forest ranger attempted to blow-up a dam to in the name of nature, a boy hating his brother just because he had an easier life than himself after their parents divorce, and a princess of another land disgracing her bloodline and country. But what surprise Sean the most that at the head of this dark criminal-core was a young boy who lost his parents at the age of five. Himself. What farther gasped him was what was the Mafia's worst deed: a destruction of a country. Sean couldn't help but to cry out.

"What? What happen? Please tell me!"

"You hired a powerful mercenary to wipe out every Navi in Yumland's cyber-space, including the King NetNavi, leaving many people without NetNavis. There were cases of anarchy."

"Where there any deaths?"

Serenade broke eye contact with Sean. He took the hint well. He looked down at his bare hands with a bit of disgust.

"SO because of me, or a part of me, I did a lot bad- no… TERRIBLE things, things that can't ever be forgiven. How can I even stand to look at myself again?" Sean's eyes drift away from his clenched fists to his keyblade and he then noticed the inscription written inside the handle. He took a closer look to make out the words, "Once you atone of what you did, I promise to be your first friend." And as the finshed reading the last letter, Sean instantly remember being inside the apartment and being on the floor, cowering with a mixture of rage and fear. A older boy, by one year of Sean's, stood over the boy, and while Sean gave a angry glare to the older boy, he returned it with a understanding smile and open hand.

Tuning back into realty, Sean stood upright with his keyblade in grip. "Even if it wasn't me who form and ran 'Gospel,' nor will let the possibility of me being only half-a-being get in the way of what I'm going to do," Sean then lifted the keyblade to the sky, I'm going to get that dark figure and then, I shall atone for what evil has been done by the name of Sean Shun Obihiro!"

Serenade was astonished on how the boy changed from being angst to being a nobleman. She knew this boy was special. In mind and heart.

000

The dark figure stood ankle deep in water dark as dusk, watching Sean in the hallway via vid-screen. He watched as Sean and Serenade walked back to the three door lobby.

"I underestimated the boy. There is still a flicker of life in him. I hoped that seeing himself succumbing to the dark side would have caused him loose confidence in himself. I would have finished him off before, but the formation of the multi-bug-organism has somehow caused me to loose some of the dark energy in Sean's body. If I manage to weaken his consciousness, the objective will come to pass at a 87 success rate."


	5. A Lone Light in a Dark Mass

-A Lone Light in a Dark Mass-

"Well, Lan," said Mayl to her next-door neighbor. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"Ya, you too Mayl." Said the Brunette net battler. And the two the entered their respected homes. Mr. Hikari had given all of Lan's friends rides home, all expect Chaud who called in a limousine.

Lan opened the doors to his house and found his two parents talking to each other. Lan's father was always at work while his mother was always stayed home. Lan respected both of them like any son would.

"Mom, Dad, I love you," he said right at bat and then embraced both of them. "You've done so much for me; I just wanted to thank you."

"Lan." Said the boy's mother.

"Wanna watch a movie? Since Dad is here and all."

"Sure thing, Lan." Said the scientist father.

After enjoying a timeless classic, the young world savior began rummaging through an old toy-chest in his closest.

"Lan, what are you doing?" asked Megaman from Lan's PC.

"I'm looking through my old kid's stuff." He replied as he moved a hand full of old clothes out of his way. "After reading Sean's journal, it made me to be more appreciate for things."

"Really," said the Navi with a skeptical attitude, "Are you going to appreciate your homework now?"

"I meant stuff like friends and family, Megaman." Lan hauled his old toy chest across his bedroom rug.

The box contained Lan's old toys stuffed animals, and dust-covered children's books. The sight of these things brought back numerous memories. He took one of his favorite books from the old container and plopped down on his.

"Hey, Megaman." Said Lan

"Yea, Lan?"

"What do think Sean will be like when he wakes up?"

"I don't think I'm qualified to give any kind of answer to that question, Lan. Sean's actions seem pretty serious for him, but he seem so… relieved when you told him you be his friend; so I don't know what he'll be like after he recovers."

"I just don't think I even know the real him, Megaman."

"Well…" pondered the blue Navi, "Sean couldn't be any worse than what he had been before, right?"

"Good point."

000

Sean and Serenade stood in front of the 2nd door in the lobby.

"Are you certain that this is the only way?" asked the Holy NetNavi.

"That figure said that I can only get to him after I passed through both of these two doors."

"But the first one was a trap, who knows what the other shall be."

"Only one way to find out," said the heroic adolescence as he stepped up to the door. When it felt the boy's presence, the door slid open and a thick dark mist began to seep through. The mist made Serenade look and sound ill.

"This mist… it's like a plague," she wheezed, "I fear I can not continue onward with you, Obihiro. I shall remain here and guide you through thought."

Sean stood in front of the doorway, building up his courage before walking through the door, which slammed shut right after he stepped inside.

He found himself in a large marble hallway. It contained several buttresses, each one with a dark painting of a human and a NetNavi opposite to each other. What really stood out was that there were a bunch of pipes protruding out of the side of the entrance wall appeared over the human-pictures-half of the hallway. The pipes leaked out the mist that made Serenade sick.

Sean walked up to first one. On the right side of the buttress, it had snazzy looking blonde man; while on the left, it had blue air conditioner theme Navi. As he began to walk past it, he was caught in a flash and found himself standing in a big corporation building office.

There was a meeting between two company leaders. One of them was the man from the picture earlier before arose from his chair and began to shout furiously to everyone.

"I won't let my company to be-be-be GUTTED. I built it with hard work and sweat, so I'm not just going to let you to take everything I made so hard with one fatal swooped!"

"Hehehe," chuckled the head chairmen, "Oh course we can. How did you think I'm the boss of this international company, Mr. Kazefuki? I all ready have the capitally to get what I want and what I want is your company. Your hard work is useless in these races, Kazefuki, especially when you attract the ones who are more cunning than you… Thank you for your company. Have a nice day."

Kazefuki stood there, his fist clenched in rage. And strangely, Sean could _feel_ his exact anger and pain that Kazefuki felt. The betrayal of someone who promised you treasure stuns deeply. It felt sort of weird and natural at the same time.

And as quickly as the vision appeared, it disappeared and Sean was back in the marble hallway, standing behind the first buttress. And out of nowhere, Serenade's gentle voice echoed in the kid's mind.

"Obihiro, Are you there?"

"Yes," said the grey haired child out-loud.

"What happened? I shortly lost contact with you."

"I had another vision. But only this time, it was someone else and me."

"Who was it?"

"I think his last name was… Kazefuki."

"Arashi Kazefuki?!? He was part of Gospel!"

"Hmm," Sean pondered, "Anything about him before then?"

"Wait awhile, please." Said the serene navi. She closed her eyes and let her A.I. to surf the net to obtain the information requested.

"He ran a small successful company before it was-

"'-bought out by a big company.' I just saw the whole ordeal. There are these buttresses with pictures of Humans and NetNavis on them. When I passed the one with Kazefuki's picture on it, the vision started. And when it ended, I went pass it."

"Did you feel okay?"

"Well, I do feel a bit depress. Seeing that man's hard work to be all taken away by a mere wave of hand from rich person."

"The business world is cruel and ever changing. Like in the story of Chanticleer, be wary of someone who is smiles and complements."

Sean stopped and pondered on how he felt Kazefuki's rage and sorrow for his company. It seem right or fair to him.

"Something wrong, Obihiro?" asked Serenade, "I can only reach the parts of you mind that you would allow me to."

"Nothing's wrong… So, for the rest of the time, I should continue to have these visions?

"Yes, it is quite oblivious that this room is meant to break you. Whatever you do, you must not let anything get to you into the darkness."

"Speaking of which, that mist the kept you at bay, they're coming out of pipes. Pipes that lead from the walls of center room to above the human portraits of this room."

"Hmm…. They must be under the same spell as you."

"Huh? But how?"

"From what you described, it appears the main darkness that took over your body is flowing over to the other members of Gospel."

"So how do we help them?"

"The pipes lead up to the darkness within you. So once it is vanquished, the evil plaguing the members of Gospel will be freed as well from their dark, twisted nightmares of endless sorrow."

Sean gave a heavy hearted sighed and mummered "No pressure."


	6. Relations of the Past

For for keeping all you fans waiting. School drags on and writer's blocks come and go. I hope you enjoy this chapter.

-Relations of the Past-

Old man Wily gave a out a heavy sigh. He dreaded every word that was written in the e-mail that had just arrived.

_Dear Father,_

_I have done all I can with your grand plans, from which I fully understand. The network that you were force to build has indeed become corrupt. Your robots were the true future of this ignorant world. I also made sure that your grandson also took part of your mission. It took at least 5-years to make him share the same anger that you and I are feeling right now, but it was worth it; I also took the measurement of the possibility that he would betray us._

_I made the boy used a method of producing a replica of the SoloNavi, Bass, for you Alpha plan. It required great work and finance to achieve this, but I made sure to keep both of our groups to seem to be involved._

_This world will be soon yours for you to mold._

_-Regal-_

Wily's official second in command, Colonel Baryl just entered the dark room to give his report.

"From a detail search, sir, it shows that Regal has indeed hacked into our systems and went into all of our plans for Alpha. Right to last detail."

"Including the part that involve Bass," said the old man, "Tell me, do you have the report of the members of Gospel I'd requested?"

"Yes. Currently, Princess Pride, Dave, and Gauss are in jail. Dusk is still on the lamb; while it turns out that Arashi is in the hospital for minor injures from that Metro-Line Bombing."

"What about Obihiro?"

"I couldn't find any details so far, sir."

"Regal used him for this, I know he did…. Continue the research!"

Baryl gave a salute and walked out, praying that Sean hadn't committed a too serious of a crime.

Wily opened up two old files that he had on his computer. One was open not too long ago, for the sake of the second effort of the LifeVirus. Wily regretted to use his son-in-law's navi design for his own advantage. He found the remains of that navi in the Undernet. It was a miracle that anything of him would have been salvage after that climactic battle years ago…

The other file was dear to his heart. For it was the blueprints to a Navi that his daughter, Tron Wily, made at least five years ago.

The names of the navies were…….. _Zero and Iris._

000

_**5 years ago, Electopia Airport…**_

"Mrs. Obihiro," greeted the bright-shaded-brunette haired girl navi with in her PET, "The line is connected to home."

"Thanks, Iris," said the brown haired NetOp with a big, crescent-like ponytail.

After several rings, the image of a brown hair, green eyed, five year old boy appeared on screen.

"Hi, Mom. I miss you. Did you got me anything?"

"Hello Sean, I miss you too. How's everything on the home front?"

Sean gave a cheery soldier's salute to his commander and chief. "Me and Colonel Uncle have been stationed at home-base and all is well, Madam President of Obihiro-Land."

"Good job, solider."

A man then walk up behind the woman, asking her, "Why is it that you're always the President while I'm the First Man, Madam President Tron?"

Tron turn up and smiled at her husband, "Sean knows who's in charge of whom, First Man Volnutt."

Sean's father, Volnutt, has spiky, brunet hair then turn behind him, where both his and Tron's friends approaching them. With the old acquaintances were two small boys. One was 7 years old with black hair with an additional white 'eggshell' top; he was holding his mother's hand. The other boy was 6 year old boy with brown hair and an interesting choice of blue clothing, was ridding piggy-back on his father.

"Hi Dad. I miss you. Did you get me anything?" greeted Sean as he saw his father.

Volnutt chuckled at Sean's cuteness, "You'll see when we get back, Sean. I love you."

"Same here, Sweetie." Tron added.

"Bye! Love you. Colonel Uncle wants to talk to you but he's out to get burgers." And with that, the screen went blank.

"It such a shame," sighed Tron, "Sean got sick before we left and had to stay home with his uncle. I so wanted him to meet all you guys and your kids too."

"From what you said," Stated the 7-year old's mother, "he's a little prodigy like little Cossack Junior here." She smiled proudly at her son.

"Mother, I wanted to be called 'Chaud!' Besides, my first name is Eugene. Why do you call me by my middle name?"

"Because that Cold-Hearted jerk of a father of yours insisted of naming you after his father and not mine, based on his opinion that my father was a criminal because he went underground when he was to be question of the infamous Alpha incident."

Tron gave a small hugged to her friend, "I'm really going to miss, Kalinka."

"Same here, Tron."

Volnutt make a gun hand jester at 6 year old boy, "Keep up the virus busting, Lan. Keep that Navi of yours sharp."

"I sure will, Uncle Vol." said Lan with much vigor.

"Only when keep your grades up." Butted in Lan's father.

"Ohhhh, Dad." The boy moaned

"Thanks for taking us to airport." Said Tron to all in company.

"Yea; and that 11 minute delay for our 9 O'clock flight managed us to savor this moment a bit little more." Said Volnutt.

"Yep," Tron smiled heavenly, "The research team that built the second generation of NetNavis just has to stick together for a better tomorrow, Especial when they're rising their own second generation."

"Hard to believe all that happened five years ago." reminisced Kalinka , "You and Volnutt tied the knot and had a little bundle of joy in one year after meeting each other on the project."

The group of friends enjoyed their final moments together before Tron and Volnutt went on aboard their plane. Both parents were a bit anxious about returning home and their child, mostly Tron,

"Oh… I hope Sean likes our present."

Volnutt open one eye from his slumber, "Of course he will, dear. I think he'll love the Navi parts. He always wants to build something."

"I guess I just really want see him happy when we come back. Being so far apart, I really miss him."

"Same here. The last two weeks were grueling."

"You were thinking about Sean the whole time too?"

"That and more. I want be there when Sean needs us the most. I just want him raised right."

"Oh, Volnutt."

"Tron…"

Volnutt put his hand over Tron's and the two move in closer to kiss each other. Closer and closer they came-

BRRREEEEE-DUM! BREEEEEEE-DUM! Went the planes engines as they went on and off. The turbulence caused by this made Tron plop out her seat and fall on Volnutt, who grunted with great pain.

"What happening?" Tron stated.

"Uh… Honey, sweetheart, you're kinda crushing me."

"Opps… sorry, dear." Tron got off her husband and back into her seat. From the window, she checked the plane's wing. "Looks like the engines are still running."

But knowing that didn't rid the eerie feeling that everyone felt on board.

"I'll go see what's going on in the cockpit." Said Volnutt as he got out of seat and move to the head of the ship.

"Excuse me," he said after he tapped the door. No answer. Volnutt reached for the door handle, and found out that it was searing hot. After letting his hand cool down after the first the try, Volnutt quickly opened the door.

Smoke was pouring out of the cockpit, with the captain and copilot both were pass out on the floor. He turned to the passengers and shouted.

"I need help here!"

One of the flight attendants came with a fire-extinguisher while Volnutt and another man help to bring to the two people who were supposed to be flying the plane. When the smoke settled down, it appeared that the main control panic to plane had exploded.

"What's going on?"

"Who's flying the plane?"

"How IS it flying anyway?"

The plane was seemed working. Speed and altitude seem to be functioning all fine. Tron looked pretty determined.

"Time to find out! No one keeps me from coming back to my darling baby boy! Ready, Iris?"

"Well…"

"Okay then, let's go! Jack In, Iris Power-Up!" Tron pulled out the Wire Jack from her PET and plugged it into the built-in computer of seat.

In the airplane's cyber-space, a beam of light appeared in the sky and land on the ground, where it transformed into a long, light, brown haired girl with butterfly hair clips in a purple and white dress. This was Iris, a second generation of NetNavis. The Second Generation had human-likeness over the First's robotic form. Tron's face appeared on the vid-screen in front of brunette Navi.

"Iris, do you see anyway into the plane's comp-sever. The controls to it maybe destroyed, but since we're still flying, so that must means that the sever is still online. My reads shows that it's deadhead of you. Good luck."

"I'll do my best, Mrs. Obihiro."

Iris then ran as fast her legs will process her. She came across the link that lead the passenger part of the plane-sever to the cockpit. A soon she reached it, Iris saw a familiar looking Navi with a real long blonde hair in red and white armor standing over two baldy damage Navis with the Aero-Company's uniforms.

"Zero? Did Mr. Obihiro jack you in to investigate too?"

Peering through a highly concealing helmet with a face mask, Zero's glowing yellow eyes look down at Iris, "Yes, when I jacked in, I found the pilots' Navis here. Before shutting down, they said that a Navi appeared out of nowhere and hacked himself into the plane's entire programming."

"Do you think it was done by those Illegal Navis? The ones with the outlawed customizations that are sold on the Dark Market."

"Looks like that way."

"So we're dealing with… terrorists?" Tron shuddered with fear. "The ones who kill innocent people in cold blood to get a point across?"

Just then, every monitor on board the plane displayed a face of a dark and morbid theme robotic navi.

"Attention, humans. You are the first to witness the Power of the Cyber-Beasts. Though the two beasts are forever trap underground, battling for all of eternity with each other. We have mange to recreate their power in a form of one NetNavi. It will soon destroy all of you as demonstration to the world. Farewell…"

Tron's worried face then turned determined.

"I'll try to keep everyone calm. Zero, can you handle a little bit on your own?"

Iris had doubts, "Do you think that is wise? We have no idea how powerful that Navi could be."

"Iris, I'll be fine. My entire model was built for combat against those Illegal Navis. But still… Peoples live are at stake here, and if I botched it… Okay Iris here's the plan: The lock to the Cockpit's computer can only be by licensed airline navis and those with a SSS- License, which I have. After I go in, I want you to try to alter the locks to allow any volunteer Navi to came and help. "

"But we need to keep the people from panicking," added Volnutt. "The last thing we need is to be frantic."

"I'm not frantic. Who says I'm being frantic? Where is he? I'll punch his living daylights out of him!" said Tron at a rapid rate.

"Please, dear. Deep breathes."

"Sorry."

"I'm sorry sir," said Zero, "But my calculations say that we'll have a higher success rate if we have help rather to keeping a calm scene on the plane."  
"I'm not risking it, Zero."  
Iris step into the conversation, "We have no choice, Volnutt. Everyone on board already knows that the pilots are out."

"Well…" pondered Volnutt for a moment, "Okay, get some good fighters."

"Roger!" said the girl navi and her operator in union.

"Okay, here we go," said Volnutt as Zero ran pass the barrier to the cockpit.

As the red and white armored warrior walk down the narrow corridor, he noticed something disturbing about the walls and floors. Volnutt checked in on his navi's lack of pace.

"What is it Zero?"

"The entire cyberspace… it's deteriorating. And it's getting worse in the direction of the cockpit."

"Hmmm… Maybe it's not a navi after all…" he muttered to himself. "Continue to precede, Zero."  
Zero continued, taking up precaution of crumbling fragments, and he finally reached the main computer server onboard the plane. He saw the perpetrator dead ahead. A normal-type navi with dark and gray rock like armor stood still with his back to Zero. The under its boots was the same as the rocks as the navi's armor, growing like some kind of fungus all over the floor of the cyber-realm

"CoMSume aNd dEstROY datA.. Gagago," it said with a garbled voice, "… test oF bUG-fUSion coMmEnCE: aLL gO! GA-gLReP-gOO!" It turn it's head to reveal that it's entire visor was glowing yellow.

"They're targeting this plane as a test of their weapon?" said Volnutt in outrage, "As the developer of Battle Chips, I can not allow this! Let's go Zero! Battle Routine: SET!"  
"This bug is going down! EXECUTE!"

"aLL YoUR BasE BelONG tO uS!" said the Navi.

Zero started to charge head on to his opponent, unsheathing his built-in-sword ready to strike. The Bug Navi was prepare to receive and counter attack as Zero was in striking range when

"Area Steal, Battle-Chip In: Download!"

Zero vanished and left the glitched Navi in awe. He reappeared behind his opponent and Zero slashed him right down the middle. The two pieces of the navi drop to the floor, but the pieces then 'stretched' to each other to become whole again. The Navi got on its feet and it right armed turned into a 2-ton mega-cannon preparing a mega-blast. Zero leapt out of the way of the blast, which rocked the entire plane.

000

"What was that?"

"What's going on?"

"Everyone, please," said Tron in front of everyone. "I know things are bad, but panicking is something we can't afford right now. The systems have been hack and we need to deal with this a decent manner. A SSS Official is taking care of problem right now, but he may need some assistance, just wait a little longer and things will be okay."

000

"Zero!" said Volnutt, "What happened? The entire plane just shook!"

"The enemy's weapon is powerful. It's like it has practically no limitations in Recovery and Offense."

"Send me the battle data and I'll try to think of something."

Zero continued with the battle. He fired a High Cannon and blast a hole into the Bug Navi, but it was quickly regenerated

The long-haired blond Navi then charge forward using a LongSword, while quickly evaded the Navi's Bug-Frag-Sword, leaving a deep and long gash from side to side on its head. But that too healed up with little effect of damage.

"Okay, it looks like it's some sort of Multi-Bug Navi. It's made out corrupt data and glitches that was broken down and fused together."

Zero was firing a Vulcun3 to keep the Navi at bay to converse with his NetOp, "Who would do something like this?"

"Some organization that wants to hack the entire Cyber World, who else. They must have planted it on board the plane as some sort of test."

"So, what do I have to do to make it Fail this test?"  
"From the readings, you have to destroy the bug fragment that keeps it under control on it right foot. Once it gone, it should decompile."

"ROGER!" Zero than charged forward.

"All right, here we go! HeroSword, Battle Chip In: Download!"

Everything to Zero seemed to slow down at his Battle Combat Data heightened his performance level. He managed to the strike the desired target with little effort in a half-second. The opponent Navi fall to its knees.

"60 DaMaGE SuSTain. CoMeNINg CouNTer MEaSURes."  
The Navi then became a blob that began to stretch and shape out.

"Zero! The Bug-Navi is-"

"I see it!"

The blob solidified into a tall familiar figure… ZERO!  
"Impossible," muttered the original, "He copied my battle data by just watching me!"

"I… I…" shuttered Volnutt with fear in his eyes, "I… heard that the Ultimate Program in that Rouge Navi several years ago has the basic functions of Bugs! Could this be a failed attempt to clone Bass?"

"VOLNUTT!"

Coming out of his fears, Volnutt turn back in to see that his Navi was struggling hand-to-hand with his dark doppelganger.

"Invis, Battle Chip In: Download!"

Zero became ethereal and leapt away a great distance from his enemy, onto a ledge on the wall.

"First he was soft like water and now he's as solid as a rock," remarked the Red Warrior.

"Spontaneous adaptation when face with damage, that mean his entire battle technique and his weakness has- ZERO LOOK OUT!"

An elongated stone hand sped towards the cyber-swordsman, grappled firmly onto his face, and with one movement of his rubbery, yet rock strong arm, the BugZero force his normal counterpart down to the ground all the while pushing him against the wall. Zero came down with such force; he created a crater and a cloud of disrupted data. BugZero retract his arm and began to march slowly to his enemy, forming a Bug-Z-Saber in hand.

As the disrupt data began to fade out, Zero barely could stand.

"Recovery 200, Battle Chip In: Down-" And with a movement of his Bug Sword, BugZero caused the screen on Volnutt's PET was instantly filled with static and the words "Connection Lost" flashed in bold red. "Junk it!"

Zero yellow eyes looked up the sharp of the doppelganger of his weapon. The BugNavi then lifted the weapon high over his head. He then garbled, "DeLEte!" And with a swift motion, he swung the sword downward onto his righteous brother. But the attack made no contact, the enemy Navi was paralyzed. Surprised, Zero saw Iris, with a determined glare in her eyes, standing behind the Rogue Navi.

"There will be no 'Deletion' today." She said seriously. And with a gesture of her hand, the Bug Navi flew across the room. Tron's face then appeared on a Vid-Screen and said,  
"Good thing Iris has the ability to control any kind data on the net."

Iris then stoop down to Zero, compassion in her eyes, began to heal him by radiating a dim aurora around his body. Fully powered Zero stood up, tall and proud. Soon to join him were a dozen of robotic Navis.

"I take it that this is our army," ask Zero to Iris. He then turned his attention to the Navis. "Okay, listen up, this group has planted this Bug on this plane as a test, disregarding all of life on board. I fought this Bug and its power seems to match to that of Bass. Any one of you want to back off, I won't hold it against you. But if you decide to run away in combat, then you'll be lower than those who created that monstrosity.

"I know that you are all aware of the rules against NetNavi Battles. If they grow too intense, they would disrupt the flow of data and cause consequences in the real world. There are times that these dangerous battles are necessary for safety of the net and its users. This is that time. This Navi I fought is nothing you every seen before, no matter how strong of viruses you encountered. He has powers of that can rival the Navi Bass, who once caused the very net to shudder to under him.

"Things are bad now, and our actions might cause things to be worse. But our NetOps are in a constant threat if that Navi is in charge of the plane. And if we come out victorious in battle, but fail to save those onboard… well, al least they will be dealt with a more dignified ending than that of a hostage of an insane cause."

As Zero was giving his speech to the Navis, Tron was giving her own to the unsettle crowd on the plane.

"Everyone, please, I know things are at their worst know, I don't know what will happen to us. But if we loose ourselves to our fears now, then we'll be wasting our final moments. We must maintain our compassion for one another and retain our self-control. If anyone here has anything to say to their love ones, now is a good time as any."

She then whisper to herself, "Hurry, Iris. I want at least one chance to talk to Sean."

000

"Move out!" ordered Zero to his platoon as BugZero began to slowly approach them.

Two robotic navis, one green and one yellowish green, got in the first line, morphing their arms into Blaster Cannons, and open fire while a green navi stood behind them, using his his-tech scanner to get a full detail reading of BugZero.

"Okay… almost got it… and…. IT'S DONE. His weak-spot is his in the center point on his left shoulder blade!"

Zero continued with orders "Front-Row, stand down. Second Wave, commence now!"

Three burly-size Navis used Area-Steal to get in close and each took hold of BugZero's arms and neck, and then used IronBody to protective themselves while a Dull-yellow sword-theme navi came ran in with his blade ready to strike his ElecSword right through his enemy's shoulder-pad. BugZero then 'hollered' in pain and went limp with its eyes going out.

"It's not over yet. There's still 35 of health to go." Stated the Scanner.

Soon, the three navi's IronBody began to wear off. As soon as this occurred, the Rogue navi's eyes then light up and then it began to struggle free. The Three Tough Navis tried to hold onto their dear compiled data. Their struggle was making the entire plane rumble. But their efforts were futile as BugZero began to infect them. Panicking, the two navis who restrained BugZero's arms let go and stumbled back. The one Navi that held a tight headlock on BugZero meet an untimely demise as he was absorb into the Glitched Navi.  
The scanner navi began to shudder, "He's health… is now at 85"

"Second Wave, Fall Back."

The SwordNavi jump back while the remaining Burly RobotNavis sat traumatized by the third's demise.

"I said Fall Back!" Zero ordered to them.

The two got up and leapt back to where the main group was at. The scanner was constantly changing the on settings on his visor.  
"Looks like he's blocking his weak spot from any kind of scans whatsoever. It will be like looking for a 2 in the middle of a Binary Code."

"We have little options now. Those who are best at close range combat, active a barrier and go in and slice through him, go at different angles to get lucky with a hit and not get hit. Then get out of clear the way for those who are better at long-range combat, hit him where the first wave missed. Use full blast, I want to see holes in that thing."

"And what would happen if all else fails?" asked the Yellow SwordNavi.

"If any other of my plans fail, I'll go in and overload that thing into Delete Pile."

"Zero," said Volnutt sternly, "That won't be necessary. Don't have to go such measures to destroying an enemy."

"Yea," said the Yellow Sword Navi, "Isn't that kinda stuff that those nutjobs-"

"The difference between me and them is that I'm targeting just one, singular entity that is a real threat, and I'm doing this to protect people, not to get an easy way pass to paradise."

"True," said a Orange-Red Blaster theme Navi with an Middle Eastern accent, "My NetOp is disgusted by their fascist actions on the world."

"Less Talk, more Heroics." Said a violet female buster Navi as she saw Bug Zero heading towards them.

"Found the weak spot! Dead Center on its icon, like a bull's eye on a target." exclaimed the Scanner Navi. All the Navi converted their arms into their blaster mode and ready to fire until

"Wait!" exclaimed Volnutt, "Isn't odd that The BugNavi hid weakspot from the scanners and then until now, it's in a dead center shot?"

The Navi put down their arms. Realizing the set up they were in.

"We'll take a practice swing," said the blond NetOp of the Yellowish Green Navi, "Mega Cannon, Battle Chip In: Download!"  
The Navi's armed transformed and he then aim carefully on the target and launched a great blast of energy. The front of the beam stop short of the icon and it then piled-up into a whirlpool of energy until the end of the beam closed in, then it went straight back towards the Yellowish Green Navi. A cloud of damage data hidden his deletion from the cyberworld completely.  
"Ug!" exclaimed the Scanner Navi, "I can't believe I didn't pick-up that force-field! I almost got everyone-"

"But you didn't, so don't loose it on what could happen! Is there anything to get through the shield?"

"Hold on," said the Navi as he began his duties, "Calculating all possibilities… DONE! Our best bet would be to use a Sword-Chip to pierce through, but the attack must be done a great velocity." Zero fired a Zap-Ring3 to paralyze BugZero's movement.

"The one who does this also has to get out the way quick, for as soon as that shield is down, I want everyone to use their strongest blaster attacks to hit the spot dead on!"

The Yellow Sword Navi step up, "I'll go."

His NetOp, a wealthy looking brunette, appeared on a Vid-Screen, "We have a Combo that can pull it off."

"Alright then," said Volnutt.

"Commence Operation!"

The yellow Navi stood tall and proud as BugZero came out of his paralysis. He then began to run forward.  
"Here we Go!" shouted the Navi's NetOp, "Wind, Battle Chip In: Download!"

An airbox appeared behind the Navi and began to emitting strong forces of wind, and with the proper balance against the force, the Navi was using the wind to increase he speed.

"Fast Gauge, Battle Chips in: Double Download!"

The Navi's pace began to triple. The Navi was just in range of BugZero to…

"HeroSword, Battle Chip In: Download!"

The Navi then jumped and forced the HeroSword in the shield, using the momentum to make the sword work as a pole-vault. The Navi then used Area Steal to warp away to allow his allies to take their shot.

Everyone from a distance then used every known Blaster and Projectile Program Advances known at the time. Cannons, Bombs, and Stamps attacks bombarded BugZero wildly and the evil Navi was then lost and a climatic overdrive of energy, leaving nothing but a huge crater in its place.

000

The plane rock violently this time and the sound of groaning metal could be heard by the passengers. A couple of overhead compartments swung immediately open. Soon the plane's vibration slowed to a stop. An eerie silence filled the plane.

"Zero…" asked Volnutt into his PET.

"It appears that the enemy is destroyed."

"Alright then." He then opened a link to his wife's PET, "Tron, it's time to put Iris to work."

"Roger." She said in a serious tone.

000

Iris ran to the center of the room, got one her knees, and pressed her hands against the floor. She then went into a deep trance and the floor began to glow. The ScannerNavi was confused.

"What is she doing?"

"She is rearranging the data in the computer to be useable again."  
"What didn't she help us to take down that evil you?" he asked again.

"Although she does have the ability to manipulate data, she can't delete Navis, real or bugged."

Iris then spoke without looking away from her work, "I'm trying to restore data, Zero, but more then half the system has been render useless. So far, I manage to wireless commotions back online so we can report to the proper authorities. Now I'm working on restoring the plane functions that would guarantee everyone with a safe… WAIT! The Bugs seems to be shifting… mustering together! They're moving Plane's data with them! ARGH!"

Iris then pulled her hands out of the floor and stumbled back into the arms of the concern Zero, who then helped her up. She then spoke weakly.

"I'm sorry. All of the plane data was destroyed except for the communication link. Everything else has turned into… _that_."

And from the corroded floor came bizarre rock-clustered being. It started out as a jagged blob entity but soon morphed into a giant golem werewolf version of Zero's upper torso. Instead of a face mask, there was a muzzle with sharp fangs protruding out. The ends of his finger were sharp as claws. And from his back, giant fragmented wings that took the appearance of a dark eagle incarnate. At the base of his body, the Bug-encrusted ground swirled into the torso of the evil being.

"For a blob of cyber-glitches, you really made an impression on the thing." The yellow SwordNavi still retain a sense of humor in the face of an evil incarnate.

Zero remain mission bound as ever, "Iris, is there anything we do to restore the controls of the plane?"

Iris sadly shook her head, "No. With the exception of the Data that I managed to fix, everything has become that Multibug Organism. It still has control of the plane and…"

"'And?'"

Tron's screen appeared to assist her navi with the harsh news, "And the plane is on a straight route for the U.N. building in Netopia…"

There were gasps from the entire squad of navis

"I now know what I have to do."

"'You?'" ask of the burly Navis, "Don't you mean "'us?'"

Volnutt came on the screen, "There is a reason why Zero has his name. When he fights, nothing is left standing… including a large area of cyberspace. So far I had to put restraints on him to keep him from going too far."

Zero finished the grim news. "Our goal was just to regain the plane's control, so we couldn't risk the danger not matter how strong that monstrosity became. But now since now that goal Is now impossible to accomplish…. And the villains who planted this vile monster onboard are making sure we became martyrs for starting a war: We have a new MORE precise goal at hand. Iris: I want to take the Communication Data and shut of this area completely from the entire Plane control system when you leave here with the other navis. Give everyone a chance to talk to their loves ones… and tell the military of what happened here."  
Iris nodded to tall red Navi, "Yes, sir." She then extended her arm out, causing a shining yellow sphere to emerge of the ground and float up to her.

The scanner navi gave his last report, "The weakspot now right on the head. But it's protected by shields that draw their power from the middle of both palms of his hands. Good Luck."

Zero nodded to the Navi and then gave his last order. "Everyone. LOG OUT!" And soon all of the Navis disappeared in beams of light.

The lone Navi glance up to his twisted, evil counterpart. His glowing eyes sharpening into the shape of an angry glare.

"Zero: Full Power Activate!" cried Volnutt from his PET, "Access Code: SEAN TRON LAN!"

A faint aura of fire began to form around Zero. The flame was faint in appearance, the entire the cyberspace began to heat up to at least 90 degrees Celsius. to a human

PSSSSSSS-CHNK!  
Zero's mouth guard then popped off revealing a gallant handsome face with fierce yellow eyes, blazing with determination.

"Zero-Saber, Battle Chip In: Download!"  
The blade appeared in the now humanoid Navi's hand. He took a step forward to strike a noble pose, his step made a deep dent in the ground.

"You foul beast. Your only true purpose of your existence is to strike fear into hearts of the innocence, but today won't be the day. For I shall defeat you before you terror can threaten anyone. HIYAAAAA!" And he then charged Head-on towards the beast.

000

"I won't let Sean think we died as helpless victims!" Volnutt said to himself as he gripped his PET with great pressure. He felt content unable to fight along with Zero. It was the humans' lives that were endangered, and the only chance that they could save themselves is just to be only assistances. The idea that their fate would start a world-wide devastation just pushed his frustration further. Volnutt soon felt his anxiety to its zenith. Suddenly, he felt as though he was in two places at the same time: On board the plane and in the same place as Zero in the Net.

000

As that was taking place, the crimson blur gradually turned into a blazing steak, causing the ground underneath him to break. MonZero attempted to use small waves of BugFrags from the floor to ensnare the running navi but it failed.

MonZero knew what Zero's targets were. He raised his huge claw into the air and began to fire a thick laser beam to incept the real Zero's route.

Step by step, inch by inch. Zero barely managed to keep himself out of the beam's way. It was a dizzying sight: A pillar of light chasing right after a streak of light at high pace action. MonZero kept up with his real counterpoint, but Zero managed to get behind the monster and raced up his back _whished_ unto the back of giant's hand.

Griping his saber high with two firm hands, Zero plunged the laser blade deep through the enormous claw. The sound of the sword powering up could be heard as it clear energy turn red and soon the claw exploded in a great explosion. The beast's hand wasn't destroyed, only lamed.

A second later the explosion, Zero, in bullet speed, leapt from that one hand to the other and took it out in the same manner. The force of this explosion was enough to make towering beast fall limp. The real scarlet swordsman landed across his monstrous MultiBugOrganism copy.

"Beast, you shall now be deleted."

And he then leapt high into the digital-air and landed right onto of the Bug-Being's helmet. The giant shook its massive head in an attempt to shake off the hero, but he hold tight by kicking his boots into the half liquid substance, Zero's extreme heat caused extreme pain to MonZero, but his basic instincts encouraged him to absorb the SuperNavi.

With his left arm already sinking into the BugFrag monster, Zero yielded all of his available power into his saber with his free hand. and he gave one last message to his NetOp.  
"Creator… it was a pleasure." And the red, long blond hair, SwordNavi delivered the final blow on his massive, winged lupine doppelganger before his entire body was completely absorbed with BugFrags. The monster's entire body began to turn red from the energy from Zero's strike. Soon MonZero began to glow brighter, and brighter, and brighter until he glowed at a level of white-hot sun. After that, the cyberspace where the epic battle took place disappeared without a trace.

000

Volnutt ignored the deep rumble of the plane and kept his eyes on his PET screen, filled with static. For some reason he felt intense heat as though he took part in a brawl. He took deep breathes while trying comprehend on what just happened to him.

It was though his mind was that in full synched with Zero's AI. He heard Doctor of what doctor Hikari said about a concept of Full Synchro, the mind of the NetOp with the NetNavi are in alignment with each other and enhances the Navi's abilities by folds while at the same time: damage to one happens to two. But Dr. Hikari stated that Full Synchro can only be done by Lan and his special navi because of the concept of a 100 DNA match of the two. How did Volnutt managed to pull it off puzzled him.

_Maybe…_ he thought, _we're NOT in 'Full Synchro' but maybe something close. I didn't die when Zero got…_

He then put his hands together and said a silent prayer for the brave soul. The brown haired man turned his attention to his wife, who was in the middle of explaining things.

"… and so you see, we had no other choice. We had to delete the BugNavi in order to prevent a war."  
There were no out bursts of rage or anger from anyone. Some were proud at the fact that a disaster was just prevented and by the actions of themselves, the 'hostages.' Others were sad about either never seeing love ones or that their lives were soon to end. Tron continued to sooth the worried crowd.

"We managed to save the Communication Data. We'll be able to send messages to our families. If any of you have any last words. Now's the time to do so."

Everyone pulled out their PETS, jacked their Navis in, and began to make Video Files of their final hour.

Volnutt walked up to Tron and gave her a long, gentle hug. After enjoying their sweet embrace, Tron hold both of her husband's hands, looked him straight in his emerald green eyes with her dark brown eyes, and said.

"Let's talk to Sean."

The couple then returned to their seats and Tron plugged her PET into the computer. And both she and her husband hold hands and brace themselves for their final farewell to their son….


	7. The Will to Strive

The Will to Strive

Sean walked through the last barricade, visiting the memories of a how a boy, whose parents got divorce and had to live in underprivileged lifestyle while his young brother lived in luxury. It was unfair to see that boy work hard, day by day, up till his adult age to reclaim the life he had once while his brother just had it. He looked up at the dead end wall. Hung there was two pictures. Silhouettes, to be more precise, of a crystal like human-being and one of a short person with a round head with a pair of scissors ontop.

"Obihiro," said Serenade through telepathic thought, "I think I know why these memories are here-"

"WHAT'S THE POINT!?!" shouted Sean angerly.

"Obihiro… I understand that the world does has some dark movements but-"  
"It will always be there, not matter what you. All the pain you suffer will never go away."

"Sean, don't dwell on those thoughts."

"And then what? Forget that people lives are ruined everyday and that all of efforts were for nothing. Didn't see all what happened to those people. Forest land that a nature lover bought to persevere was bought right under him and was destroyed. And the princess of Brightland, the land who provided the materials for the world-wide net, was force to watch her country be doomed to fade into nothing because it was being considered to be obsolete for today's standards. And don't get me started on those others."

"Sean… they had lost themselves in their troubles and walk down the wrong path."

"Do you know who you're talking to? I'm just a rejected half of a kid who couldn't remember the faces of his own parents!"

"But when you set things right here, you can-"

"Take a trip into the slammer! I commented acts of terror in countries. Do you think the people are just going to be easy on me just because I'm just a kid? …No matter what I would do, it will be pointless and a waste of time."

"But… what about your vow?"

"My vow? My vow! Serenade, before today, I was just five years old… how can I understand things like this work out? I'm smarter now and I say that it is worthless. I might as well let Darkside to have control of Sean. He did rejected his light side after all… who am I to contradict my true self?"

There was a silence began to make the artic cold room more chilling to the heart.  
"…Serenade?" There was no reply. "… and she too abandons me…."

He took a look at his keyblade and read the inscription, "Once you atone of what you did, I promise to be your first friend."

_I don't even have any real friends!_ Sean though to himself, _Ha, 'ATONE?' What good will it do?_

The keyblade then began to vibrate violent in Sean's hand. Then it began to jerk. And finally it glowed with an eerie light and than vanished in a blink of an eye. Sean brought his hand to eye level, inspecting it to see if the weapon truly disappeared. The hand was tremble from the sudden movements of the blade. Sean gave a heavy sigh. His worst day ever just took several bad turns.

Then, without warning, a hand as cold as ice grip Sean's shoulder. The boy reacted with great speed. He sprinted a small bit ahead and turned around to the same form of the crystal human in the picture. The being was a complete shade of black, almost like it was a living shadow. Next to him the Scissor head man. Sean slowly backed away from the two and look to behind to see more of those Shadows were coming. From beneath the pictures of the NetNavis, came the shadows of them through the wall. They included a Boomerang theme Navi, a Magnet theme, a Air-condition theme, and a Knight.

Slowly, the group of Navis began to the walk up the defenseless young boy. Sean swallowed hard as he pinned himself to wall behind him. He began to sweat with fear and felt his throat tightening and drying out. He knew he was about to die. He knew that no-one will come to save him. He has committed sins that were completely, no matter how hard he could ever try in his entire life, irredeema-

"**_HEAVENS' LIGHT!!!!!_**" Two spheres of golden energy whizzed across the hallway and made connect with the big Fan and Knight shadows, then they were consumed in a strong light and then they both shattered into a million of pieces, which fall on the floor and soon faded away completely.

Having their heavy weight partners obliterated caught the group of Navis by surprise, they turn around to see who the attacker was and to Sean's surprise, it was Serenade. The angelic being then began to hover at a fast pace to Sean's rescue.

"**_GUARDIAN ANGEL BLADE!_" **

In Serenade's right hand appeared a majestic that took the appearance of a Celtic sword in gold and silver colors. The Boomerang and Magnet theme Navis went off to engage her. Though the numbers were against her, Serenade easily defeated the two with no problem. As the two leapt towards her, she simple slashed their sides as they leapt towards her. She then duck and move forward. Before the shadows can recovery from their landing, Serenade lifted her sword in the air and with on '_swish,'_ she cut through the two like a guillotine with the greatest of ease. The shadows shattered into numerous shards, which soon disappeared, just like the Knight. The way she fought was a grand performance of skills and movement. It was almost as if she was dancing. But to Sean, the sight of the Serenade coming to rescue him when he thought she left was twice more amazing than her fighting skills.

With Serenade at the last wall-barricade in the hallway, The Crystal and Scissor Shadows then stood their ground and gave her their full attention, forgetting about Sean completely. The three stood still in a stereotypical stare-down. The two Shadows were at the opposite sides of the room while Serenade stood in the middle of barricade.

Within one complete second: The Crystal extended his arm and fired shard at Serenade while Scissors grabbed his head piece and flung it to Serenade like a razor boomerang. To counter these attacks, Serenade just gently lift her arms over her head. This caused her two back veils to grow in size. Strangely, the enemy projectiles seem to home in on the veils and ran along the sides of them, without really touch Serenade. The projectiles then escaped the veils pulls and went straight to their launcher's partner. The Crystal's shard hit Scissors, while Scisscors' blade cut through Crystal. And just like their comrades before them, they shattered and faded away.

Sean smiled and laugh in relief of Serenade of rescue. But it soon faded the might female fighter fall to her knees and then to the floor. Sean ran up to her and turn her over on her back.

"Serenade," Sean shuttered with fear, "What's wrong?"

Serenade cough gently before answering, "I… risk to venture this dark room to save you… I draw my strength from positive emotions…. But here… here is filled with doubt, fear, and anger."

"But… why?"

"To save you… the REAL you. I realized that when you were talking before… you talk with dobut and rage… feelings that a mere _Light_ _Side_ would not have, but…. But feelings that a full minded human would have."

"I AM real?" Sean muttered to himself in disbelief. He turn his attention to his dying rescuer, "We have to get you out here. You won't last long here."

"No… I understand how…. How the memories of others are in your mind."

"How?"

"The one who claimed to be your Dark Side… he draws his strength from dark emo-emo-emtions…" Serenade's pristine appearance was fading. Her veils began to wither and shrivel like dying rose petals.

"Serenade, you NEED to get out of this room."

"No-No time!" she wheezed, she then weakly lifted her arm and using two of her fingers, Serenade touch Sean's forehead and the two found themselves in a silver bedroom room with tables and bedroom.

The room was big and had various items on tables and hand drawn pictures were hung on the walls. Sean found himself standing in the room while Serenade sat on the bed, with her beauty fully restored.

"Serenade," said Sean in awe, "Where are we?

"We're in your mind… at least, the par t of it that is still yours."

"Still mine? I thought you said I'm real."

"You are, but that one who side who said he's your dark side took over your most of your mind. I manage to reestablish you with the one place that he had no use of: You childhood. It's only temporary but it will suffice"

Sean strolled around the room looking at all the items with the feeling of nostalgia, "Why? Not that I'm ungrateful, this part of my day so far."

"As I said before, the Dark Being that lives in you is drawing strength from painful memories. I, however, draw my strength from respect and love of others. It was strength was design from my creator after her best friend died in plane crash."  
"Hmm, I know how painful that will be."  
"My creator's name was Kalinka Blaze. And her friend was… Tron Wily Obihiro…. Your mother"

"W-w-wha?"

"She wanted a force that could do good with the power of love, respect, and mercy. She gave me her memories of being a mother with love and compassion for her child as a based program and handed me to her co-worker to use guard Undernet the secrets of the Undernet when she passed away.

"Sean, in life, there are moments that can harsh, even devastating. But one thing is for sure: there will always be light. The total aftermath of disasters brings out the true goodness in humanity. And in individual cases, family and friends will support them, if they just let them.

I know what this Dark being is, he is just like me. He seems to draw strength from the misery and anger from others. He must have token roost in you and the other senior members of Gospel."  
"So where did he come from anyway?"

"A few years ago, I felt a presence of dark power deep within the net. I investigated the deepest and dark part of the Undernet, and I found the source of Dark Energy: It was a Nebula.

"A nebula? Aren't they suppose to be in space?"

"Space is in indefinite to measure; a whole galaxy can exist within the space of molecules.

"At the core of this nebula, there was a dark star, small and immature. I believed that this nebula was created by negatives forces in this world. But before it could be fully examined, the Nebula vanished."

"And you think this Nebula is the Dark Being inside of me?"

"A part of it, yes. I believe someone implanted pieces of the Nebula into the higher ranking officers of Gospel and have them exploited the emotions of their hosts."

"So… all the things that Gospel done… are still my fault."

"Sean, feeling anger and sadness is normal for all humans, just as much as joy and love. All Emotions make humans human."

"So… how do I get rid of this Nebula?"

"With that, I can only advise you. You must recall the most influential memory in your life and draw strength from it to push yourself forward. Something that will give you strength through weakest times."

"Easier said than done, I can't recall anything pass my parents' dea-"

Sean stopped dead center as he took a good look at a big portrait painting of himself and his parents enjoying a good time. They were at the park and Sean was young with brown hair and a hige grinning smile. Sean stared at the portrait long and hard, as though he was in a trance…

000

_**Five years ago…**_

Young Sean woke up in the middle of the night with a start. It was quite a surprise, Sean has just had a normal dream and the temperature was decently warm, so there was no real reason to why he woke up.

Feeling fully energized, Sean pulled out his father's laptop and began to web search on the web. Even though he was five years old, Sean was a decent web surfer. His parents had to put up state-of-the-art website blocks to keep their child from the 'bad' sites.

The young boy decided to check his E-Mail and found that his parents sent him a Vid-Message. Rubbing his eyes, he open the file.

Sean's parents were seating in their plane seats, looking sad and holding each other's hand.

"My little guy," said Tron with watery eyes, "I am sure but… Mommy and Daddy won't be coming home… ever again."

This made a cold shiver up Sean's spine.

Volnutt then took his turn, "Something came up, and… we will be passing on…"

"Sean, I know it isn't fair… No child as good as you has to deserve to lose their parents like this. But the both of us love. Now and forever."  
"I can understand that your life will never be the same and you might face tough times without us to help you through it, son. But don't fear, you have relatives and friends that will help you, so have no fear."

"And no matter what you do, we know that will turn out great and we'll always be proud of you."

"And Sean, if you ever make a mistake and feel… trapped; just stand up and try to carry on in the best way you can."

There was an awkward silence the video until both parents said their final words. Tron started first.

"… I love you, Sean."

"Be strong, son…"

Then the video went blank.

000

Sean wiped the tears from his eyes and took a moment to recollect himself. He looked over at Serenade and said,

"I've found it."


	8. Freeing the Others

-Freeing the Others-

Sean looked at Serenade with renewed energy.

"Okay. I found my motive to live, now what?"

Serenade then informed the youngster of her plan.

"The Dark Nebula draws its strength from the darkness in peoples' hearts. So we need to rid the others who have the Nebula inside of them."

"Shouldn't we try to that to _ME_ first?"

"I'm afraid to tell you this. But it seems that the Main part of the Nebula resides within you, Sean Obihiro. Its strength comes from the branch Nebulas in the other Members of Gospel. But the Nebula exists on a level beyond that of the Net. I know how to travel there. But, it would require you to 'leave' your body."

"But if I leave my body, the guy who took over would be in total control again."

"True, your presence here and that of the Invader's seems to be putting your body in a cationic state. But I think my presence here will help hold him back until your mission is complete.

"I'm going to send you to a level of existence of that where the crossroads of peoples' fate and destiny intertwine. I believe that the Nebula Branches are feeding on the negative energies of the people you saw earlier, and that they must also be sending that energy to the main Nebula inside of you. With your keyblade, you have the power to repel any unnatural forces that attacks the hearts of others. And once to vanquish the Branches, the Main would be weakened and his grip on your body would loosen. From there, we shall expel him from you permanently."

Sean considers what Serenade plan. There were great amounts of doubt within him. He extended out his arm and concentrated on his unique weapon and soon enough, it appeared in a flash of light as it materialized in his hand. He studied the sword's from.

"I…I can't do it." He admitted, "I know what will happen if I just do nothing… but… I'm just a kid; I don't know anything about sword fighting. Even if I did, I'm not sure if I can do it. These… things take over the human minds… turning people into monsters."

"I understand your doubt, Obihiro. Doubt is an emotion that everyone faces everyday. And the task I have set up for you is massive, and I wish that there is another way; but what must be done, must be done; and you're the one with better chances of victory than I. And though I can't accompany you, know this: That symbol on the end of the Keyblade, I've seen it before. It belongs to a Navi and his NetOp. The two together have great power and potential. Your blade is the same, the strength of the two are linked to you. They will guide you in battle, I promise you that."

Sean took a look at the emblem that Serenade referred to. Sean pondered on whose powers is in the Keyblade. He then realized that he saw the same emblem on the headband of the boy in the last moments before passing out in a room of Severs… and again on another headband of the boy that he meet on the Boat of his parents funeral. Sean knew that this boy meant something to him, and he know his name… but he couldn't recalled.

"Also, Obihiro," continued Serenade, "The people who are under the influence of the Nebula are just like you, poor souls being manipulated against their will by their pain and suffering. I've dealt with true cut throats before, and they are not like those."

"Alright," said Sean, "I'm ready."

"Safe journey, young one."

And with a simply wave of Serenade's hand, Sean disappeared. And right after that, the room vanished and was replaced with a black fiery void. Serenade reacted immediately by sitting cross-legged, put her hands together in a style of a pray, and began to chant to keep the darkness to take full control of Sean's body.

000

BEEP!!!-BEEP!!!-BEEP!!

The sudden sound of Sean's heart-monitor made Inspector Oda jump right out of his nap. Shortly after he got himself together, the 'beeps' began to slow down to a normal rate.

Beep-beep-beep

"Hmm," murmured the old man, "Must be my mind playing tricks." Oda then got back into his chair and kept a vigil eye on the young boy. Then there was another noise. Not from the machine, but the sound of his cell phone in his pocket.

"This is Oda," he answered when he held the phone, "talk to me."

"Inspector, something came up with members of Gospel. You need to come to the station at once."

"Can't this wait? I had something planed earlier today, but had to reschedule it for this job here."

"Sir, it appears that the members were under influence during their crimes and actions."

"Say that again."

"After a being the arrested, the members of Gospel had their personal materials confiscated. All of them had one item in common."

"Well, what is it?"

"A watch, sir?"

"And what is so special about this watch?"

"It had a device built into it that gave off a frequency that travels through the body, altering the brain parts as well as the chemical balance, and causes an increase of aggressive behavior."

"Or to be more specific, become cynical to almost everyone and thing in the real world."

"So are you coming, sir?"

"No, but you did provided me with some essential information for my current assignment. Call me if anything else comes up."

"But, Sir, I- CLICK" Oda closed his phone and put it back in his pocket.

"So," he said the unconscious kid, "There's more to you that's meets the eye."

000

Sean found himself in space. A dark void filled with countless stars. All of them were shining brightly. Sean never saw so many before, do to living mostly in the city. He felt weightless as he flew towards a black cluster of clouds in the void. He flew by the clouds and saw various stain glass windows with the images of the people that Sean meet in the Flashbacks. Araishi Kazefuki, Speedy Dave, Princess Pride, and Magnus Gauss. Each window was stylized with each one's personal styles, which included portraits of people that Sean didn't recognize. All of the windows seem to have been 'herded' together into a cement block, keeping all four together.

As Sean touched down on the platform, he noticed that each portrait had a long purple crystal shard sticking out of each one of them.

"Well," he said to himself, "Doesn't take a genius to figure this out…"

The boy then strolled to one of the shard. He then took his Keyblade with both hands, raised it above his head, and slashed the shard in two. The broken piece fall to the ground, the sound of it echoed far. But it did not shatter. Instead, the two shard piece turned into black smoke and suddenly, all of the others shards transformed into smoke as well.

"… although, any idiot would know that it would be too easy," Sean said to correct his last statement.

The smoke then turned into a small sprite like beings whose bodies were composed of violet flame.

By acting out of fear, Sean swung his Keyblade at the sprite and it soon disappeared as it turned back into smoke and floated away. Sean considered what happened and just went running and began to hack and slash the others sprites.

_Hack_

_Slash_

_Hack_

_Slash_

And soon all of the Sprites were all gone. But Sean kept his guard up, keeping a tight grip on his sword. He then notices that the clouds of smoke that the Sprites turned into didn't really disappear, but acclimated overhead. Swarming together as a dark storm clouds Sean looked up, but showed no fear.

"**Not** Good…"

A plume of the dark cloud began touched down on the platform. It started out as thin as a rail but soon grew to be as thick as a trunk of a tree, than as thick as a car. It grew to the size that it could have completely covered one of the four glass platforms if they were not herded together. The pillar of smoked faded away, leaving behind a towering sprite that loomed over Sean like a thirty-story building. This Sprite had fangs, huge bulgy arms of flame and a crocked horn growing out of its forehead. Though Sea was prepared for the worst, this sight overwhelmed him. The beast like humanoid of flame let out a roar that shook the strange ground that both he and Sean were treading on. Sean slowly backed away from the monster but soon found himself at the edge of the platform.

The fear of dying at the hands of this beast scared Sean down to his very being. The keyblade in his hand felt heavy and was starting to strain his arm, his legs are frozen stiff, and an ice cold chill covered his spine and his heart thump against his chest. If he failed, he would never reclaimed his life as well as the others who are the same boat.

_Peoples' lives are at stake? _ Sean thought to himself, reflecting on what he could remember about his parents' death._ Peoples' lives are at stake. Peoples' LIVES ARE AT STAKE!!!_

Knowing that the lives of others were fated with his actions, Sean felt his body giving into the sense of duty. The keyblade began to become lighter and Sean could move his arm. His stiff legs were ready to burst forward. The cool numb feeling in Sean's spine and his hard beating heart were still present, they some how felt good to him. He began to walk forward and started talking to the monster.

"I think I understand now. You're a bully. You keep people in the dark, just to remind them of their worse memories. Using them to strike them down whenever they start to get a lift in spirits. But there's one thing that overlooked. You bring down the ones who try to save themselves, because when they're alone, they're easy prey. But when that person, who you have under your control, has people counting on him… people who believe in that person… when that person has **someone** to support him, you are powerless. And guess what… **I am that person**!" 

Sean then rushed towards the monster at an astonishing speed. He then dealt a swift blow with his keyblade at the base of the monster. Sean then sped around the monster and continued to hack and slash at the monster's stem like base. Sean then backed off to take a breather. He did all that damage in last than a second.

Sean was amazed about his new bound speed and strength. He knew it was because it was because his confidence and will to win. A fitting end to this grotesque creature that lives on the misery of others.

Sean ran back into the fray, this time taking his aim hirer this time. When the beast of dark flame swung his bulky arms at him, the young boy used the spiked side his keyblade to be used as hook to dig into the flaming flesh and parry it with back-flip. But Sean didn't keep a look out for the other arm.

KEER-SMACK!!

Sean skidded across the platform, skipping on the surface like a skipping rock to water. Though he was struck by a being of flames, Sean wasn't burnt at all. Infect, the flames seemed to be as cold as ice. When he stopped crashing, Sean said to himself.

"This is not a game, Sean… so don't get cocky."

The boy dusted himself off and went back to action. Sean noticed that after he took out pieces of the flame like monster monster, it diminished in size to compensate its lost. It was now half its original size, about ten feet. But one part of the body was irregularly shaped. Right below the head and between the shoulders, there was orb like swell that appeared from all sides Sean thought it was the enemy's oblivious weak spot.

Lunging back his blade arm, Sean ran straight at the monster at a blinding rate of speed, avoiding the monster's arms while trying to reach at its base. When Sean was in position, he droved the keyblade upward at the growth, but the flames around it held together and absorbed the blow, preventing the keyblade from striking whatever that was beneath it. The monstrosity bellowed a demonic roar. Panicking, Sean did a series of fast strikes to the beast, hoping to cut down the flame defenses around the weak spot.

The monster continued to shrink down to size; he was now as big an adult. The growth seems to have taken over the entire lower torso of the monster, living only his arms and head being normal. This gave the monster a definite bizarre sight compared to its terrifying first appearance first time around.

Seizing his chance, Sean once again lunge his blade in the balloon like belly of the beast. This time around, it made contact as the sound of something shattering could be heard within the monster. Soon the beast began to melt, as though the only thing that gave him life was destroyed

Sean quickly ran away from the monster as it melted into a puddle of purple ooze. The details of the red claw like hands and the face on the scarlet mane were distinctive from the pile of the colored slop. The face of the monster began to drift away from the rest of the pile, cruising over to Sean. The young boy just watched on, knowing that even as pathetic as this thing is now, it is still a threat. This kind of evil can do real damaged if given the chance. The running liquid was about to touch Sean's sneakers, but it came to a complete stop when Sean strike it with his keyblade. Soon the ooze disappeared at once.

With no more evil forces to feed it, the dark could disperse and the view of the countless stars appeared once again. The ground under Sean's feet began to shake and swift. It was because the stone like structured that held the various glass portraits of the members of the Net Mafia Gospel has disappeared. Sean felt some unseen force lifting him up in the air. The young boy saw that the portraits had a refreshed look upon them and also, they seem to going their separate ways. But something inside of Sean that they're still connected to each other, but not by dark forces…

000

In a dark computer room, in a place far, far away. A man slammed his fist on the side of his computer desk. Some how, he lost all links to the other members of Gospel. First he noticed a drop of power, a steady raise, but now everything is dead.

"What happened?" the man growled to himself, "How was the power of Nebula Grey destroyed. It can't be all gone! There has to be something!"

With the Nebula pieces out of their hosts, the frequency watches that gave the man control were now useless. The man typed on his keyboard with great rage, trying to find a trace of his precious project. All was lost, until he came up with something in the recycle bin, the fate of most deleted files. The man pondered at his new discovery. It looked like a porous orb, but the man knew there was more to it. He compared all of his statistics of what occurred.

"Occurred to this," he said as he read his computer screen, "the parts of the Nebula that were inside the members of Gospel fluxed together and must have created matrix like orb that combines the feeds the emotions of people into Nebula Grey… giving it more power than before… but by the looks of it, it had a weak structure… it must because it was from to many people… but if one sure mind was linked…" A wicked smile appeared on the man's face, "The results would be impossible to calculate. Laserman!"  
A face of a dark robotic Navi with a thick green visor appeared on the man's computer.

"Yes, sir?"

"Go and bring up my father's project. I just found a very interesting use for it."

"As you wish… Dr. Regal."

The Navi's face then disappeared from the screen. The man then pulled out a window on his computer, to check up on his last existing subject. His pride and joy. His very first experiment in human darkness.

"And now," he said to the profile picture of the subject's statistics, "Let's see how much longer you have to live, my dear nephew. Had you stay on you Grandfather's course, you could have lived as a king."


	9. Contacted by the Dark

-Contacted by the Dark-

In the deepest darkness part of the Undernet, a cloak figure was just hovering over the tile platform. The cloak covered the Navi's entire body, only the tips of the man's boots appeared and the collar of the cloak covered the lower part of the man's lower face while the upper part was covered by a black helmet with fins. The helmet giving him a angry glare like stare. The figure tilted his head, making sure that gloomy area is safe for him.

Then out of the shadow of the area, saying to dark figure, "Prepare for your destruction, you pathetic copy." Then numerous barrels of yellow energy struck down the figure. Soon, the mysterious Navi disappeared in a storm of pixel blocks, fading away into nothing. "Another one easily taken done." Soon the gunman came out of the shadows, and amazingly, it was the same Navi that was struck down, right down to his cloak and evil glare.

"That human will pay for developing these imitations of me." And in the distance, the Navi picked something up. Something was amiss in the cyber world. The Navi closed his eyes and began to extend his 'vision.' He saw past severs, Squares, until finally he came across a certain hospital's computer. He then opened his eyes. "Speaking of the Devil, It is time to reap my vengeance." The Navi then lifted a part of his cloak, shiftily wrapping it around his entire body, causing him to teleport away.

000

Various memories washed over Sean, he saw half of his young life passed before him in a blink of an eye, but all of them were **THE** most vital moments of his life, moments that shape him today.

He saw himself in the moment he had the most fun ever, when he was a mere new born baby, playing with a some what familiar looking burnet baby along with a skunk-haired two year old in fancy clothes. The moment he felted most loved was when his mother holding him in her arms, loving him with all her heart after a few seconds after becoming part of this world. The most heroic thing he saw was when his father, performing CPR on a man who had an heart attack and managed to revive him. The moment when he was at peace was when he was that mysterious burnet boy with a headband gave Sean a hand of friendship. Sean then found himself back in 'Lobby Room' of his mind, only this time different…

The room was, technically speaking, warped, one part was still as the dark and cold room that Sean had ventured through all this time, but the other seemed to be like a holy sanctuary, designed with gold floors and ceilings, accompanied by pearl white marble pillars.  
But Sean soon forgot this strange anomaly when he spotted, laying face down on the floor, Serenade, badly bruised and beaten. Sean rushed to her side, turning her on her back. Serenade gave a weak smile at the sight of the young boy.

"Oh, young Obihiro," she said with a weak voice while touching Sean's face to see he was real, "I thought I would let you down. I was about to loose all of my power for a moment and you dark half would have taken over your body, but you're back now, so he is at bay for now." Serenade then move her eyes, looking at the difference in her surroundings. "I see, the darkness has weaken in you body. But do not think that vanquishing it will be any easier. To rid yourself of this darkness, you must vanquish the heart of it, where it is strongest. And now, that it is stopped feeding on you and the others, you over come it. The Keyblade is vital to this, don't forget that…"

"What about you?" ask Sean, "You tired you're self out."

"I know, and I need rest. But… I can not let you go alone… not this time… you need the presence of another, for the darkness will invade your mind in his domain, trying to take you back into the darkness. That is why… in order to contract his attempts, I shall merge with you…only temporary."

"What will happen if you do? Will you get hurt?"

"On the contrary, I'll be healed in by your inner light. You will not hear me inside of you; my presence alone will guard you from the darkness. But it will infect you if you let it, so it will try to eat away your confidence. Remember, young Obihiro, be brave, be strong, and do good." Serenade then gave off a golden glow and began to fall apart, but not as pixels, but as water droplets. The golden beads then washed over Sean, like rain. Sean felt soothing warmth within him while at the same time, a gentle cool chill on his skin. Then Serenade was completely gone. Sean was once again alone. He knows that he has only one more thing to do to regain his life. He got off of his knees and stood firmly before the door where his dark-side resided.

000

Inspector Oda sat in his chair, impatiently with his legs crossed.

"Come on, kid," he said to the unconscious boy, "What else's is going on in that head of yours?"

Unaware to the Inspector, a barley visible yellow surge of energy traveled through the cable from the wall to the heart monitor. There, the surge traveled down the wires that were attached unto Sean's chest, where it then disappeared.

000

Sean walked towards the door where his nemesis resides. But then, the everything around him rippled, as though something just disrupted reality. Sean felt a dreading feeling.

"Turn around," said an icy cold voice, "And face me, boy."

Sean turned around and felt himself shuddering under by an unseen force. There, standing in the room, was the mysterious Navi, with his red eyes piercing through Sean right down to the bone. Sean had a gut feeling that this Navi, had some kind of power, opposite to that of Serenade.

Sean gulp and asked, "Wh-Who are you?"

The Navi simply hold out his arm out of his cloak. He wore a black and gold gauntlet with a white glove. He then spoke with a voice that was colder than ice, "I am you executioner." And in a flash, a violet blade of energy formed in the Navi's hand. He then leapt right at Sean. The boy reacted in time, dodging the blade with only a tear on his shirt. The mysterious being stopped where he landed, he turned around to charge at Sean again. Fear took over Sean.

"WH-WHY?"

"You crossed my path. You perform an act that gives me the right to your life." The Navi then charged Sean again, head on. The boy couldn't dodge. Acting by an unknown instinct, Sean pulled out his keyblade and the Navi was in striking range, Sean whacked the energy blade, forcing the being back. Sean was dumbfounded by the feat he just performed. The Navi got back on his feet.  
"So… you're more then a child."

Once again, the Navi charged Sean. Overcome by this unknown instinct. Sean ducked down below the Navi's striking range, and when he was passing over head, the boy whacked him with the blunt end of the sword. The Navi managed to get a slash across Sean, only tearing his sweatshirt in half, revealing a black t-shirt with red collars and a red 'G' with spikes around along with a eyes and teeth, almost wolf like.

Sean was shaking, he was doing nothing but anger this mysterious stranger. Fearing for another charge, Sean charged the Navi for a change of pace. He drew back his Keyblade as the Navi turned around. And then, the two made contact, not by blades, but by touch. In a spilt second, the two of them were in the dark, hearing voices that weren't there.

"_Dr. Cossack…"_

"_Mom… Dad…"_

_"…the plan worked, he's as weak as kitten."_

_"Because you'll amount to nothing, my nephew."_

"_I will strive to become the strongest."_

"_I will try to make amends for what I did."_

_"I will __**indulge**__ into darkness…"_

"_I was __**engulf**__ by darkness…"_

_"Yes, Bass… you're very style'n…"_

_"We'll always love you, Sean…"  
_

Then, after that brief second, the two broke contact between them. Both were breathing hard, with their lungs cold as ice.

"So," said the Navi, getting the wind back into him, "we are alike…"

"Wh-wha-what was that?"

"Our memories were one, you saw mine, I saw yours."

"I've made a mistake. You were just a pawn of a greater scheme. I shall leave you now." The Navi then grab his cloak and-

"Bass!" said Sean, learning the Navi's name from the ordeal, "I saw your pain… you don't have to be in the dark. Not all humans are evil as you think."

"You have your journey. I have mine. By the way… are you not curious of how the Nebula got inside of you?" Sean just shook his head, "I saw everything that happened to you. No child should have been experimented on you."

"'Experimented?'"

"Stop and consider this, when **DID** your life really went down the road of darkness?"

"When my parents died, of course."  
"Not quite. Who was the one who help **guided** down the road? Who was there to **support** you when you were down? Who was anchor to your moral beliefs?"

"Well… **no one**, really… I was left in care of my uncle and he was…" Sean stop in mid sentence when the idea came to him.

"Farewell." Said Bass has he preformed his trick of teleportation, leaving Sean alone.

Sean just couldn't believe it… His uncle… his loving mother's brother… had set him up after his parents' death. Using his sorrow and pain as fuel to some kind of… WICKED experiment…


	10. The Face Off

Face-Off

Sean tried to soak in what he just discovered; keeping things in proper balance, but the whole idea was overwhelming. His own uncle, his godfather, had deliberately made his life a train wreck so he could be a vessel for a microscopic galaxy that's entire composed of negative energies and forces. The young boy took deep breaths to try to calm himself.

After five minutes of collecting his thoughts, Sean made and analysis of what he should do: Get rid the Nebula that's in him now. What Regal did to him was of no matter unless he gets it out. And if Sean lived through this, he would stay from his uncle forever more.

Sean looked at the door which his dark-half now resides. Unlike the cold, metal door to which Sean first encountered, the door was now a pair giant wooden gates, crafted from a pitch black timber with extremely dull brass handles. Feeling anxiety in his entire body, Sean slowly walked up to the door, savoring the known around him before he ventured into the unknown. Sean felt his blood racing as a violent surge as he firmly griped the handle. Taking in one last breath, Sean opened the door.

000

It was another late night for Chaud. He was in his private office at his father's company. He came here not to do minor paper work, but look at the lightshow that was downtown. This is one of his favorite spots to brood alone. Well, almost alone.

"Chaud, sir," said Protoman from the computer screen on Chaud's desk, "is something bothering you?"

"It's that boy, Protoman," answered the teenager, "It was almost ironic that Lan, myself, and Sean, to be in the same room, fighting for the control of the net.The three of us… the grandchildren of the three inventors of the net, and the children of the ones who made the Second Generation of NetNavis. It was like fate was playing a cruel game with as a mere pieces."

Chaud recalled one of his personal memories before his mother's passing away. He was two years old, playing with the one year old Lan Hikari and the new born Sean Obihiro. Even at this age, Chaud had a photographic memory. He recalled all the simple games they played that use to humorous to ones of that age. And their reunion today, Chaud's memory now seemed tainted.

"We may choose our own destinies, Chaud, but fate has always been cruel under no circumstances. It is possible that Sean was forced into this, he might had shattered under the weight of the world."

"Sean is a good kid." Chaud stated, "I remember his mother, she was as loving as my own. And as for his father… Sean's father was great man. Sean just needs remember his parents what his parents taught him. And knowing Lan, he already has done just that."

"You were right, about one thing, Chaud. Fate seems to have an interest with you three, only it's just not always cruel."

000

Baryl was making a through search for the name 'Sean Shun Obihiro' on his computer, hoping to look up something about his nephew. When he finally did found something, the Netopia Colonel was not pleased. He pulled out his PET and address to his military AI.

"Colonel, Sean is currently a patient in the Beach Side Hospital in DenTech City of Electopia. I'm sending you right into the Hospital sever to find any information on his condition."

"Sir, yes, Sir." Said the military Navi, he then pixilated and vanished from his Personal Terminal and onto the PC.

Baryl gave out a heavy sigh and then prayed, "Sean, if you're anything like you parents, you pull through any condition that you're in."

000

Sean found himself pitch-black void. Although there was no light, Sean could see his hands and the clothes on his body as clearly as in daylight. Sean felt the numbing, cold-air on his hands and face.

"You have done well, Sean Shun Obihiro." Said a chilling voice, which was almost as twice as cold as the room. Sean turned around and saw the entity that tormented Sean with dark fire after he saw his painful memories. Sean stared down the faceless despot, looking at him at his one that was not covered by ludicrously long hair. Wanting to rush him, Sean realized he couldn't move his body, most likely a little magic trick, courtesy of Shuryou.

"I was taken by surprise by how you manage to break free of the Dark Flames of the Nebula Grey earlier. It was as though you had help from an excess source. But don't count yourself lucky. The Nebula has encountered that entity before, in past incarnations, and with each encounter, _Mega_ has triumphed, foiling every possible victory of Nebula's. But he can not interfere with this affair."

"I thought we would fight," scowled Sean, "Not just listening to you babble on."

"This _may_ be your mind boy. But it's the part of the mind that I control, the part that people like you fear to tread but still wish for it. The part of the mind that is unchained.

"You are familiar with the story of Genesis, boy. When the creator of the world stated that there would be light, there was light; soon after, the world was made. But in the beginning, there was darkness, and even now it still exists. It's in every mind, every heart, every soul. It is only chained by the unnatural laws that you call _Light_."

"So what you're saying is that for every time someone says 'Hello, Good Morning,' to someone else, to you it's unnatural?"

"Indeed. It is proper for people to live for themselves and not to laws that been stated by anyone else. Have what they want and desire and only live that way. To live their way and die their way."

"Without laws, there would anarchy and no control. Is that a world you want to live?"

"That is natural."

"So, you're just living a life without regard to anything decent, thinking that you're just above everyone else. Good thing we're not really related, otherwise I would be sick."

"Am I not related to you, Obihiro? I was made from sorrow and pain that you felt during your parents' passing, as well as the anger you felt in life."

"But it was a lie, Uncle just set me up to bring me down, making me into some sort of street punk for his little experiment."

"Doctor Regal has made you smarter, giving you intelligence that of his own, as well as his knowledge world."

"Regal is wrong about the world. He's a deluded scientist that lost his both his humanity and sanity."

"Thus making him worthy to past judgment on all. You should be honor that he freed your mind."

"Like **crud** he did."

"You disappoint me," said Shuryou in a expressionless tone, "Now I have to convince you that you're Uncle's teachings are indeed true. I shall begin at he most basic…"

To the moment that Shuryou turned his back, Sean felt that he could move again. Taking his chances, he began to charge the despot to strike him down with the keyblade. But just before a foot in striking range, something snag on Sean's foot. To the boy's surprise, it ws a metal chain wrapped around his leg, just below the knee. Sean heard a noise that sounds like a downpour of rain against a window. Suddenly, dozens of metal chains appeared and began to crawl like snakes at high speed to Sean. They began to cover Sean, ensnaring his entire body like he was Jacob Marley from the Christmas Carol, leaving little movement to Sean, while bringing great weight to him.

Sean tried to move with his new restraints, but he felt a sharp, but relatively small, prick… the chains are covered with tiny bards!

Shuryou turned to Sean and began to finish where he left off seconds ago, "…is that you are a complete fool to think you can just _restart_ you're life after today. Did you really suspect that you will go on with you're life? Do you know how many lives that you endangered or killed?"

"It wasn't me," said Sean, even though the chains had wrapped around his head, just below his nose, "It was you, it was always you. Every scheme, every button pushed, every second of it was you and you're _precious_ nebula of yours."

"Those chains are the lives that token away. And they want to seek vengeance from the one who did this, and who better then the child who's mind who created me." Just then, the chains began to tighten around Sean. They were starting to make him force him down.

"Now do you see?" asked Shuryou insincerely, he kneeled down and look Sean in the face, "When you are hated, you'll be hated for ever. People will either hate or trick you. Why trust them? Why try to? They will betray you in the end."

Sean shook his head to this; he began to resist the crushing bind on him. Physiological, Sean was fighting the guilt that felt for the crimes that were committed by Shuryou. Even though he and the despot were two separate beings, someone has to take responsibility for his actions. Using his extraordinary will power, many of the chains constricting Sean snapped, some still remained undamaged but it was still enough to give Sean proper movement again. The featureless face of Shuryou clearly showed some once of fear from the tone of his voice. He just saw a young boy overcoming the devasting criticism of others.

"How?" he ask, backing away from the unflappable sight before him.

Sean pulled down the chains that covered his mouth, with a determining gleam in his eyes, "I may take responsible for what you did, and I might be despised. But I have to do something!" Sean took a step forward and Shuryou took a step back, "If I just sit around and let some smug, arrogant, JERK like you just coming back to haunt me, then my life will be terrible. So I have to at least try to make things better….my parent s would want that." Somewhere while preaching this, Sean's threat trailed away from his dark counterpart to himself. He stop for moment to contemplate. He then lifted his head and glared right at Shuryou.

Sean began to charge forward again. His swiftness was still hindered, but Shuryou was still dumbfounded by Sean's feat made things even. Sean thrust his blade forward just as Shuryou reminded himself where he was, so he fell down right before he made contact with the keyblade. He then slowly walked away from Sean while crutching down and kept his one eye on the boy as a snake would watch its prey. Sean took notice how his darker half's eye has now lost a certain appeal that made him fear it. The now felt like the tables have turned.

"For a moment, I thought you were a real." He said in a stern voice, "Then I remembered that you're just a program. A program that is supposed to break me, live off of me, and make me into something I'm not."

"Have you been listening to yourself?" asked Shuryou darkly, as he stood up, "Even if you do destroy me, I still left an effect on you. How can you even plan to live a normal life after this? You're no longer a child, but to young to be a man."

Giving no answer, Sean rush at his darker half, now at a quicker pace, but this meant little to Shuryou as he extend and opened his hand and made a scythe that composed of blue, 'viral' looking blocks to appear out of thin air. Griping his new weapon firmly, Shuryou parried Sean's thrust, causing both himself and Sean to be in a dead lock, the blade edge of Sean's keyblade was caught on the rigid form of the snath of Shuryou's scythe. Seeing an opening, Sean tried to land a punch on the despot's right side, but his opponent saw the oncoming attack and slap Sean's arm away with the back of his pale green hand. Shuryou then kicked Sean's leg, breaking the boy's stance as well as the deadlock. With his free weapon, Shuryou whack Sean across his face with the blunt end of the scythe, but with its rigid design, it left small cuts on the side of Sean's face. The dark despot continued to twirl his weapon as watch his true half on the indiscernible ground, rubbing his wounds.

"Now do you see," said Shuryou as he put a stop of his twirling, "I just beat you. You lost. No mother to clean your wounds, no father to help you stand tall, and no friends to cheer you on. But even so, all of them would reject you for what you did. Your body and soul are mine."

Shuryou walked up and loomed over Sean, staring his ice cold, black and red eyes into Sean's ruby ones, making the young feel like he was staring right at death. Shuryou lifted his Scythe over his head, all the while never breaking his eye contact with Sean. The boy's body was locked up with fear, and in one mere second, the craved blade of the scythe came crashing down on Sean…

000

_**Once you atone for what you did,**_

_**I promise to be your first friend.**_

000

… the keyblade in Sean's hand moved by it's own and blocked the scythe's deadly blow. Seeing this, Shuryou began to back.

"Impossible," he muttered under his breath

Sean looked at his blade and notice that it was glowing, he could even faintly make out another person standing besides him, whose hand on his own, as though he held up Sean's arm to protect him. Sean knew who it was, but the name was absent from his memory. The boy had brown eyes and brown hair, which was held up a blue headband. This was a friend to Sean. Someone who Sean can trust. Someone who will never hold anything against him, someone who will not turn his back on him. Was it his voice that Sean heard right before Shuryou's strike was blocked?

000

_**Sean… when you put you're mind to it,**_

_**You can overcome anything in the world…**_

_**Even yourself when you're down, like now…**_

000

Sean slowly got up on his feet. He felt warmth inside of him he had long forgotten. The cold around him started to fade away. It remind him one cold night, when his was a baby, how his Father came in and wrap him up a warm blanket, Shuryou did not like the looks of Sean's second wind.

"How can he be talking to you? He is dead!" he said in pure fear, he obviously heard the same voice just as Sean. He then began to try to put up a false sense of control, "So…you want to try again? No matter. Even if you win, you'll still have deal with all the pain you cause. They won't understand what would happen here today, The world would spit on you, cuss you out, and leave you for dead. You would be murder, and everyone will cheer when that happens."

These words pierce right through Sean's heart. Though they were taunting from Shuryou, they were the true. The very idea of being rejected for the crimes he didn't commit made the fear inside of Sean return. The though of being scorned and jeered almost seem to make it difficult to breath, almost like Sean's heart just stopped.

000

Inspector Oda began to panic as Sean's vitals began jump around on the monitor. He hit the Nurses' button several times and told the nurses what was happening while assuring them he has the right to remain in the room after visiting hours. After that, the old peace keeper just had to wait and watch.

000

The Sean felt the warmth within him fading away; he felt the chill of the void around him gripping around his heart as a cold claw. His vision started to blurry and fuzzy. He could faintly heard Shuryou saying, "You are _mine_." Sean kneeled over on the intangible ground.

"I believe it should be fitting for you to see your Station of Serenity." Said Shuryou. And with a snap of his fingers, the two were now standing a circular platform, covered by a violet colored water that seem to over flow on the sides The water was at least twice as freezing than the void.

Sean's vision had faded terribly by now, but he could still hear his dark half just fine.

"This water is really the blood of Nebula Grey. Though he is composed by the flames of rage, he's blood is as cold as space itself. And your heart is now he's source. As you can see, you're entire heart is immersed in it. You can not stop it. To do so you have deal with your loses and your sins, something that a child like you can never do. The run-off goes straight to towards the dark galaxy, giving life and form to the dark energy that … ves form…soldiers… as Darkloids." Sean's hearing was now starting to fade. But as Shuryou voice started to grow faint, he could hear a voice of a woman.

000

_**Sean…**_

000

Shuryou stopped talking, as he heard the voice as well. But since Sean was now the death's edge, he could who was talking. It was princess; dress in a glowing silver gown, a purple flower was place over her ear, underneath her long, body width brown hair. Holding her hand, was a knight in a sliver mail with a gold tunic. His hair was brown too, but shorter and considerable messy compared to princess. In fact, Sean could see distinctive cowlicks in the knight's hair. The two were in a meadow of pure green grass and flowers of assorted colors. The princess's eyes were weeping as she addressed to Sean…

000

_**Though I cried when you were overcome with rage…**_

_**I am relieved that you broke free…**_

_**Your father and I will always love you… with all our hearts.**_

000

"_Mother,_" Sean then began to use his keyblade to support himself as he got back on his feet. The boy's vision was barely coming back to him, as though he just awoke from a nap. Shuryou tried to move to kill the boy with his scythe, but now, he felt frozen in place.

"You can not win against me," warned Shuryou, annoyed at how many times Sean gotten up. "You are at death's edge. You're not fit to fight me."

"Who said anything about fighting?" ask Sean weakly, he started numbing cold fading away from his feet. "There is no use fighting it. You're a part of me. And no matter how much I try, you'll always be in my heart, feeding off me at the worst of times, just like you did for the past five years.

"But this time around, it will not be the same. Someone gave me this keyblade, gave me his power, and gave me his friendship to help me **through** the pain of that I have. From losing my parents, to the crimes that you committed through me.

"As for the people who will reject me, they have every right to be angry… they lost so much. But if they are anything like me, they would try to make sure that no one else will feel their pain. That would be the most human thing to do."

Sean then walked to center of the platform, raising the weapon high as he said, "Whoever gave me this, he didn't meant for me to use a weapon to destroy the darkness in me, but to really help me. And for this… I thank him, my first friend," Sean stopped for a second as he remembered the name of the boy that gave him his hand, "Lan Hikari." With that said, Sean then striked his keyblade straight into the center of the platform, through the cold water and hit the solid ground of it.

The water level then began to drop, as though Sean had turned off the flow of the water. The portrait that WAS the platform slowly came into full view as the last of water went over the edge and into the dark abyss. It was a full picture of Sean, in his current set of clothes with his grey hair and red eyes, standing independently. Where he stood was the border line of a dark and light side. On the light side, the head shots of Lan Hikari Sean's parents were there along with a heroic looking NetNavi in blue armor. On the dark part, was Shuryou, Bass, and a wolf like golem creature that Sean noted looked familiar.

"I'll be back," said Shuryou, now disappearing (ironically, over his portrait on the platform), "It will happen when you let you guard down. Whenever you are alone, wounded, you will summon me back. Like, or not."

"True," said Sean basically, "But I will never be alone. Never again."

Shuryou then faded away into his portrait. Sean stared at it with heavy eyes. The sound of claps made him alert. He turned around to see a glowing techno-color ball of light floating. Sean could have sworn he saw a linear form of a body around the sphere.

"Congratulations," the sphere said to the boy, "I see that Lan's and Voltnutt's powers have rub onto you."

"Who are you?" Sean asked, he felt very tired and keep hardly concentrate after what he has been through.

"I'm the counter balance that Shuryou said before, the force that always defeated the Nebula's attacks at every turn. I'm the form of light that is in people's hearts, just as Nebula is the form of darkness of hearts."

"Do you have a name? Why are you here?" Sean was now only a few winks from falling asleep, he was quite delirious at this time.

"I go by the name Mega, but over time, I've been called by other names. In this form, I have been called X. I have also been known to go by Trigger and Xis. But in this world and timeline, I am known as two separate beings that share a strong link to each other, I am sure you know them well.

"As for being here, when you were consumed by the dark flames earlier, I felt my universe being calling to be stronger for you. And I did, leaving the power in the Keyblade that is in your hand. It originally was to set you free from your prison. Its strength comes from bond that you share with my universal double. That's why it saved you from Shuryou's final blow; it wanted you to keep your promise with Lan. You'll find its use just as helpful today in the future."

"I heard and saw my parents," said Sean, mustering the last of his strength, "Where are they?"

"During the battle, you're body was going through a state of shock, leaving you close to crossing over. What you saw and heard today were indeed you're parents, in a small taste of heaven. Have you seen the real heaven, your only desire for the rest of you life is to death."

"Heaven," said Sean weakly, "this means that… that…" The boy didn't finish, because he then fall asleep, his body glowing brightly as it began to disappear.

"Yes," said X, watching Sean sleeping peacefully, "it means that there is still hope for you yet. Enjoy you're time awake, Sean Obihiro. You deserved it." And with that, X disappeared, back to the space between time and space

000

The long night ended and the orange rays of the raising sun peered through the window. After showing the Nurses his identification and his police badge, Oda was now telling what happen prior to the nurses' arrival.

"… and then his heart rate was unbelievable, probably over a hundred thousand per minute."

"Well, according to the charts here. He suffered a serious panic attack. It would be a miracle if he doesn't wake up to be mental disable."

After saying this, Sean yawned long and loud, all the while stretching his arms. He sat up on the bed and started to open his eyes.

"Urgh… what a dream," the boy said to himself, he then took notice of his surroundings, "Uh… who are you people and why I'm in a hospital?"

000

Lan Hikari woke up as the orange light of the sun filled his room, rubbing the sleepiness away from his eyes, he sat and saw Megaman waiting for his brother's wake for a while.

"Why is it that modern alarm clocks fail to wake you up, but the oldest one, the Sun, gets you up in full alert?"

"Uh, Megaman," moaned Lan, "Do you have to nag at the start of the day?"

"I'm sorry, Lan. How did you sleep last night?"

"Weird, I dreamt that Sean was about to be killed by his disguise, but at the last second, I saved him by moving his arm. By the way, Sean had a wired weapon, it had our colors, you know, but the real deal about it that it was a sword, but looked like a _**key**_. The later one, I was a ball light and telling Sean some weird stuff. Weird, huh?"

"Lan…" said Megaman in astonished tone.

"What is it, Megaman?"

"I had the same dream, only I WAS just that ball!"

The expression on the two boys' faces was complete amazement.

"Let's go and visit Sean," said Lan.

"No complaints here."

After putting his NetNavi into his PET, Lan changed clothes, got a blueberry muffin from the kitchen and raced towards the Metro-Line on his skates.


	11. Tabula Rasa

Tabula Rasa

"BLAST HIM TO THE BOWLS OF HELL!" shouted Regal as all of his links to Sean drop dead, with the exception of his heart monitor, which kept going at a steady pace. "How did that little twerp broke free? He was so CLOSE. SO CLOSE!! His soul would have given more power to the Nebula!"

The scientist grinded his teeth in his fit of pure rage. After inhaling deep breath repeatedly until he calmed down.

"No matter, I still have enough data to build; I just need a decent power source… that has to do with the human mind…" Regal suddenly had an epiphany. He raced over to his file cabinet and pulled out a long row of folders, all with 'CLASSIFIED' labels on them. Regal simple took the last one in the drawer out, looking at it with a great grin.

"Father, you chose the right child to carrying on your legacy."

000

Lan slid into the Hospital with skates still on and continued going while taking them off of his shows as he was approaching a closing elevator, getting inside by just a hair.

"Lan," said an annoyed Megaman, "You should slow down before you hurt yourself. Sean isn't going any where outside of the hospital."

"Well, I just want to make sure he made a complete recovery. If he wakes up, I want to talk to him."

"What are you going to talk about?"  
Lan hesitated but then said, "I have no idea."

After arriving the on the floor, Lan ran out of the elevator and took a sharp turn around the bend to get to Sean's room. Lan came to a stop when he spotted the two police man outside the door. He then saw Inspector Oda exiting the room and coming to him.

"Inspector Oda," greeted Lan nervously, "Uh… I came here to see Sean…. Is everything okay?"

"Not for him, so far." Replied the officer, implying to Sean, "He's currently under house-arrest for a little while. Until then, the kid is under the radar, the last thing we need is a media circus about the kid. The guards just know that a criminal is that room, but not Shuryou himself. I also had the hospital to remove any data about his whereabouts here to be altered. As an added precaution, I will bring him his food instead of the nurses."

"What about visitors? Can he at least have those?"

"Err," pondered the inspector, "Not now, I don't think it would be a good idea with the guards around. I'll send them away later today. Till then, I'll contact you when the time is right. Why do you want see him anyway, Lan?"  
"Uhh… well." Said Lan, sounding a bit ashamed, "You see… I read his journal and Sean lived a pretty harsh life."

"He didn't felt love," added Megaman from his PET, helping his younger brother, "When his parents died and he had to live with wicked relatives. He never received any real acknowledgement from anywhere except on the Net."  
"And how did you come to know this, you two."  
"I read… his journal. " Answered Lan.

"And what he had to deal through, it's no wonder he just came to crime."  
"Really?" said Oda, trying to sound more amazed than he really was, he then started to mutter to himself, "Just like the others…"

"Wait!" exclaimed Lan, "What others?"

"It's currently under investigation, Lan. I can't really tell you anymore than that."

"Well, is there any other way I can talk to him? I sort of… promised Sean that I would be… his friend."

"'His friend?'" said the old man is disbelief. This kid is being charge with crimes against humanity and Lan, the person who busted kid, offered to be his friend? Oda stop and consider the situation if he was in Lan's shoes. He then put his hand on boy's shoulder and said. "Lan, you have a sense of compassion and justice that all-star officers have in the line of duty. If you and that kid were grown up, I would say you were dumb as bricks, but that's not the case here.

"We're bringing in his laptop as part of the integration. We found it at the apartment in Kotobuki. My _partner_ is due at any moment. Maybe you e-mail him."

"But I don't know his address, how am I going to contact him?" asked Lan, then another question came into his mind, "And since when do you have a partner?"

"Since _**I**_ got promoted," said a voice that Lan was all together familiar with. He turned around to find Chuad, walking, or at least striding, towards the two with the laptop secured under his arm. With a smug smirk and pose, he began to debrief the two of his activates

"I just came back from Gospel's base. This the kid's laptop right here. I sent Protoman in to investigate any booby traps, I would be a really troublesome if this little thing blow up in HQ."

"I trust you had a permit for that," said Oda, agitated by his young counterpart's going over his head.

"I did. I also had a permit to personal investigate the entire contents of the computer."

"So what did you find, Chuad?" ask Lan, wandering what Sean does on his computer.

"That's just it," answered the ace Official, "Protoman and I scanned through ever file in the computer, even ones that haven't been open for nearly five years, and could barely find anything concert to Gospel. There was a Navi Maker program as well a Virus maker, but nothing blameworthy than Gospel's schedule plans and a rooster of its members around the world."

"But he had to be more," protested the inspector, "He must had a command program to make that Bug Fusion to work."

"That's one of the bigger mysterious," said Chaud, sounding almost as baffle as Lan and Oda, "We did find that Command Program, but the thing is, it was a compressed file, sent via e-mail… from someone from Murkland, someone who is not on Gospel's rooster."

"So," pondered the Inspector, "you think this kid not the real head honcho?"

"But, he was, wasn't he?" ask Lan, a bit confused by all of this. "He had the motive, and he was there in the apartment to see the creation of Bass was a success. He had to be a leader of Gospel."

"Or to make us think he was." The Inspector murmured. Lan gave a quizzical look, not sure of anything now. The Inspector sighed and tilted his hat over his brow. "Lan, this is going to be serious police work. LONG serious police work. The kind of stuff you shouldn't be involved with. Go home."

"But what Sean? I want to talk to him."

"You can try again tomorrow. Just go home."

Lan, knowing he can't win, hung his head in defeat and began to slink away. But when was about to walk past Chuad, the thirteen year old leaned towards Lan and bump into him, making the young Net battler to fall to his feet.

"Watch it, Hikari." Said Chaud as he walked with the Inspector to Sean's room.

"Nice for you to care, Eugene." Muttered Lan as he got back on his feet. He then noticed a small slip of paper on the floor, and on it said Lan look at this with a gapping mouth.

"What is it, Lan?" ask the blue NetNavi, concerned for his brother well being.

"I think this Sean's E-Mail address!" Was Lan's answer. The young boy then looked over his shoulder, seeing Chaud walking through the bedroom door.

000

Lan charged out of the hospital almost as fast when he came in, now hoping to get to his computer. On the way out of the door, Lan bumped into a big guy and fall down on his butt. But he quickly recovered and said "Sorry" without even looking at the man's face. Partly half of it was covered by the man's long and messy hair and on was at least One O'clock stubble. The man kept a stern watch on Lan before he disappeared around the bend. The man then walked into the hospital.

000

"I'm telling you," said Sean as he sitting up in bed, answering his two inquisitors' questions, "I don't remember a thing about this Gospel thing."

"If you have no memories of it," said Chuad in a demanding tone, "Then why aren't you denying your involvement with it?"

"I don't know," said the boy, feeling flustered, "It was like a dream to me, but it couldn't be real."

"So you DO have knowledge of your actions as the Leader of the NetMafia. It's just being repressed. Tell me what you know."

"I just… I just… I JUST DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ANY MORE," Sean was at the breaking point. "All I can remember that I was five years old, my hair was brown, my eyes were green, and my parents are dead. Everything else, how I got here and the last five years, all of it was just a dream, I don't know whatever I did or didn't commit those crimes. I just don't know…" Sean held his hanging head in his hands, feeling weak from his emotional outburst.

Knowing that he'll get nothing more from Sean, Chuad got up and left the room, Inspector Oda did the same. With the two gone, Sean laid his head on his pillow. Million thoughts ran around his head. How did five years moved so fast? Why is their a gap in his memory then and now? And why his hair and eyes are no longer of their respective colors?

Sean noticed that when Chaud left the room, had left Sean's laptop in the room. He originally brought it in to help with the interrogation and must have forgotten to bring it. Feeling lost and confused Sean deicide to surf the internet for comfort. Surprisingly, the hospital had a Wireless Signal Modem that granted him access outside the hospital.

000

"Interrogating a kid," said the inspector in disbelief as he entered the elevator with Chuad. "I have done that before down at headquarters, but nothing as serious as his."

"Until more evidence to find him innocent of the charges," stated Chuad, "The kid is going to be punished to the full extent of the law."

"We do have a testimony from someone who actually went through the kid's mind, but I doubt the Lord of the Undernet will have decent creditability in court."

"Is Serenade SURE that whatever took Sean over is really gone?"

"She says there is still a slight trace of it still in him, but other than that, he has a clean slate. So far any time between when that thing was in the kid to his defeat of it last night is just a dream to the kid.

"As long as the kid plays his cards right, he could follow his parents' legacy of being contributors to society."

"And with Lan to back him, Sean will do just that."

"Speaking of which, how did you know that Lan needed the kid's e-mail address?"

"It's a friend thing." Was Chaud's response, giving off of what one would call a 'play-boy smile.'

The elevator came to a stop, and as the door slide open, both the young and old Net Battler found a tall man standing in front of them.

"Mister Oda, Mister Blaze," he greeted, "I was just on my way to see you, I am Colonel Baryl of the Netopia Army. I am here to discuss to you about Sean Obihiro."

000

Sean still couldn't believe how much things had change during his five year 'absence.' In DK comics, his favorite superhero, Hyper-Lad, the hybrid human clone of Hyper-Man, died in comic crossover called 'Infinite Catastrophe,' Another hero, Captain Netopia, from Spectacular Comics, died by a simple snipper attack shortly after Arachno-Dude revealed his secret identity to the world. Also, both the 'Harry Booter' and 'Change-A-Mals' series done and over with.

What surprised Sean the most was that for over five years, he has only one e-mail, and this one was just sent a few minutes ago. Having nothing better to do, the young boy opened it and read the contents

_Dear Sean,_

_How are you? Not too well, I guess. I know you going through a lot of stuff now, and want to keep my promise, but there is so much red-tape in the way._

_I know when we first 'actually' meet, you were a different person, but I want to know the real you. Not because of pity, but it is the right thing to do. I mean… what's a really good reason why we shouldn't know each other? Sure, you made some REALLY big mistakes. But like I said before, you're different now, and I want to know the real you._

_Maybe sometime, we can meet up at the park or something and have a fun around town, if you are in town at the time. (My Navi is really nagging me on the grammar in the letter _**:P**_) Me, my parents, and my friends are planning to go on a campy trip next week to kick off the last day of summer vacation. I still have homework to due, but I'll have it done by then. Maybe, after you cleared up a few things, you can join us._

_Please reply soon,_

_Lan Hikari._

_Lan Hikari_. The name seemed to echo in Sean's mind. Sean suddenly recalled a moment in his memory gap. It was recent… yesterday? It was in an apartment building… Lan was giving him an open hand… and it made Sean happy. Sean felt that he could truly trust Lan. He then began to start on his reply letter.

He was halfway through when someone door to his room opened. And who would have step in but his dear Uncle Baryl, accompanied by Chuad Blaze and Inspector Oda.

The old, crusty cop tip his hat to Sean, "Kid, did you ever hit the jack pot in the Justice game."

000

Doctor Wily was outside for a change. He usually spends most of his days in his dark lab. But today, he felt like he had to pay respects. He wore overcoat, like a homeless man, pushing a recycling cart across the front of the hospital. He stopped momentarily to look at the sea, knowing that somewhere, out in the big blue, his believe daughter lied.

_Tron,_ he thought, praying if you will, _please forgive me. I was a loyal friend to Thomas, even when I loathed his Cyberworld concept when it won over my robot concept. The military fools were too crowdedly to work out the plan, fearing imaginary consequences of robot labors rather than the benefits. It pained me to help Thomas with his work, but I did as his friend. But when he died… I saw it as a sign that my work was to pass beyond Thomas's. I recruited my sons to for cause, but when I offered it to you, you turned it down. Was it because you preferred Thomas as father than I?_

_All that I could give you children was an education, I let your mother to give you love. But I should for seen the variable of her parting. After that, Thomas was a second father to you. Teaching you his work while you rejected mine._

_And what another steak to the heart was that Thomas's son's project to advance that CyberWorld had brought you the love of a husband, and a joy of child._

_Now… because of your brother's loyalty to me, he had stolen your son's innocence. Regal broke Sean after he lost you, using as a mere tool. I taught him that nothing else matters but for goal that I thought of._

_I know you'll never forgive me. But I will make amends, for Sean's sake. He has never known me, and he'll never will. He has fresh start now, as well as something he lost long ago, his freedom._ _With hope, he will follow in your footsteps, instead of mine._

The Hospital's main doors opened, as Sean, Baryl, Chuad, and Inspector Oda walked out of the building. Baryl laid a hand on Sean's shoulder. Dr Wily could not help but notice that Sean took a great resemblance to himself. Seeing his grandson for the first time, Wily just walked away.

000

Lan was surfing the internet, checking various things online to pass the time to see if Sean wrote back. It was getting late in the afternoon. From his PET, Megaman looked somewhat annoyed.

"You know Lan," he said like a parent, "You could use this time to get your homework done."

"I'll do it later," Lan said with his eyes glued to the screen.

"That's what you said yesterday, and the day before that, and the day before, and-"

"Hey! Sean wrote back!"

"Well open it up and let's read it." Megaman seemed to forget his lecturing to Lan at the chance to hear from Sean. Lan clicked open the message and read on.

_Dear Lan,_

_Thanks for sending me that e-mail. I've been told that I lost my memory of the last five years of my life, but bits are coming and going, and I'm starting feel that what the authorities been telling me is a bit true. I did a lot things to a lot of people that no kid should do. And if I am responsible to what I am told, then justice needs to be serve. But how? I first thought of taking my life. But then I remember that deal we made, and I had an epiphany. I could have died for my wicked deeds yesterday, but I didn't. I was given a second chance, the kind that not every gets. I've been drowned by sorrow of my parents' passing, chilled to the bone my Uncle's pitiless character, and burned by my own fiery wrath. After taking in some much darkness, I think I understand the world in a way one else can._

_You said you want to know the real me. Well, I'm not sure who is the real me. Everything seems all so new to me now. I hardly l hate anything (even spinach) but I don't feel much joy from anything. The only things that seem to matter to me is my other uncle, my departed parents, and you, Lan. It may sound over sentential, and we hardly know each other; but yet, I trust you like a brother._

_Anyway, as I was writing this, my Uncle came into my room. He says he been looking for me for sometime now and found me when I was registered at the hospital. He's in the military, so stuff like tracking people down is his forte. He knows of my condition and get this: He is taking me around the world. He says that my grandfather did the same thing for him and made him to what he is. He says he is retired as all of the time in world as for me… I feel like I can take a break from school (I seem to have High School level education. The distance of two points is equal to the square root of Y-2 minus Y-1 squared plus the sum total of X-2 minus X-1 squared) So I can't make it to that picnic you talked about. But when I come back to Electopia, I'll give you a call and meet at the park like you said. I can't wait for it. But until then, I'm heading to Yumland and maybe help a few people. I think that was my problem, I just cared about my problems instead of others. Maybe I can prevent another kid going done the path I made. Maybe I can keep my end of that promise; after all, you have to be a friend to have friends._

_Good tiding and best wishes,_

_Sean Obihiro._

"Wow," was Megaman's response after reading the last line, "Sean seems more peaceful now than when we meet him back in Kotobuki."

Personally, Lan was speechless. He may have saved the world twice, but it felt like nothing like saving a single life by being a good friend…


	12. Epilogue

Epilogue

It was beautiful Saturday, a perfect day to spend in AC-DC Town's local park, the one with the elephant slide and squirrel statue. The summer season seemed to continue for a few more weeks in September, the tree still had green in their leaves and there were still relatively warm.

But Sean took little notice to all of this. He simply sat on the bench, He still wearing his classic blue sweat shirt (used more for style rather than warmth), looking at his feet while deep in thought. He told Lan that he was back in Electopia and Lan agreed to meet him in the park around this time, so where is he?

Sean noticed two kids not to far away playing tag, and it reminded him of the 'good' days. For some reason, even though his memories of the past fives years are still hazy, he could remember his early years of infancy as clear as day. He remembered all the times he spent with his parents, every laugh, every fight, and every tear.

Thinking of his past, Sean reflected on his present. He has done and seen many wondrous things in his travels with his Uncle Baryl. He made and help many friends, even some who were hurt by attacks set up by Gospel. And with his inheritance, Sean managed to help fund a special memorial park in Yumland after the incident known as 'Delete Day' and it is considered a national treasure.

Maybe Lan forgotten, thought Sean as he stared back to his feet, or went back on his promise. No. He wouldn't. He couldn't! But still… even though Lan didn't held up his end of the promise, who cares. Sean life has been richer since ever and he could have done it all if he had the right inspiration. So if he Lan wasn't going to be a decent friend, who gives a fat, stinking, dead rat's –

"Hey, Sean, long time no see."

Sean looked up and saw that Lan was standing next to him. At that moment, all doubt and misgivings Sean had instantly vanish from the boy's mind.

"Lan, it's great to see you again," was the young boy's reply. He then notice that behind Lan were his friends Dex, Yai, and Mayl. Lan told Sean about them through e-mail that they sent each other. He did say they wanted to see him, but Sean thought Lan was just being encouraging.

"Hello," said Yai as she did a curtsy.

"You're looking well," said Mayl simply.

"Yea, you don't look all pyshc- I mean, is it true you been traveling around the world?" asked Dex. "Bring any food?"

"Yea," answer Sean, he then pulled out his backpack from under the bench. "I brought some Yumland treats for you guys. It's the least I could do, I owe you a lot." Lan had told Sean that it was the trio that help him to the hospital after what happen to him in Kotobuki.

"Anything with strawberry?" ask Yai with great interest.

"Dipped in chocolate/vanilla-swirl." Said Sean.

"Well," said the young girl with a sly smile, "you just made good with me. Are you single? I have a friend named Mary that you must meet."

"Yai," protested Mayl, "I don't you have the right to match up Mary and Sean like that!"

"Yea, Yai," butted in Dex, "Get putting you nose in other people's business."

"Well, if that's how you feel, than I guess I should do nothing for you and Mayl."

"Oh, please. You could put your nose in that!"

Mayl stomp her foot, "Dex!"

"What?" Dex protested, "It could work out."

"What are you talking about?" said a confused Lan, "Yai only suggested Sean to see this Mary girl, what's wrong with that?"

Mayl, Dex, and Yai stopped bickering and just stared at Lan with disbelief. Even Sean gave Lan a quizzical look.

"Lan, are you serious?" he asked

"'Serious' about what?" asked Lan, a bit frustrated, "At some point in time, you guys talk about something that I don't understand, and when I ask you about it, you just stare and say that I'm dense."

"This happened before?" asked Sean.

"Even under more '_obvious_' circumstances involving himself and Mayl," whispered Yai. Sean could not help but chuckle at thought. You gotta have bricks for brains to not understand it.

"Oh, forget," stated Lan, "Let's head to Higsby and then to the arcade."

Everyone was all for the idea. And as Sean left the park with his new friends, Sean felt like he done what his parents wanted. To have a normal life, free from fear and evil. And even though Sean is still far being normal, being part of Netopian Army and an Official Net Saver; Sean's parents would still be proud to have a good hearted boy who over came his demons and made something out of himself.

Sean had many adventures on his world trip and beyond, making friends from the most unlikely kind of people and navis alike. He helped lives that were like his own before meeting Lan. He accomplished many things and did a world of good, almost more than the damages he caused to it. He did all of this and much more. But those are other stories, as for this one…

-THE END-


End file.
